


Mail Order Bride

by Rini, Saklani



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-24
Updated: 2012-02-24
Packaged: 2017-10-31 16:57:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 22,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/346373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rini/pseuds/Rini, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saklani/pseuds/Saklani
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jared is a forest warden, who lives far from civilization, to escape from the sorrow of his past. He orders a bride and gets a Jensen instead. Lucky Jared.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mail Order Bride

Jared straightened the living room of his small cabin one last time and looked around, making sure everything was tidy. He blew out a nervous breath and tried to shake off some of the tension in his shoulders. It had been a long while since he had any visitors, especially anyone so important. A wife...he burped out a knot of anxiety. "Oh God, what if she hates me?" he mumbled. A knock on the door stiffened his spine. 

Jensen stood on the doorstep of the cabin he'd been dropped at. The delivery man had barely waited until he'd hefted his two suitcases from the back of the truck before rumbling off again. Not for the first time, Jensen wondered if he really knew what he was doing and if this was all going to turn out okay. He knew that regardless of how he felt, he had to make this work. Mack's continued education and shot at a real life depended on it.

Breathing out a long, calming sigh, Jared walked to the door and threw it open. "Welcome, Jen-" He blinked at the _man_ standing on his doorstep and glanced around him in confusion, looking for the woman he should be delivered. "Uh, hello?"

"Hello," Jensen said with a smile, hand reaching out to shake Jared's. "You must be Jared. It's nice to meet you." He shivered slightly when the breeze kicked up and ruffled his hair.

Jared automatically took the man's hand and then noticing the shiver, his mother's training kicked in and he said, "Oh, damn, sorry, please, come in. It's cold out there." He stepped aside to let the man in, confusion making his brain hurt. "Do you want something to drink? Coffee?"

"Coffee would be wonderful, thank you," Jensen said with a heartfelt smile. He grabbed his two bags and stepped into the entrance, placing them to the side and finally taking his gloves off. Jensen shoved them in his pockets and looked around for a place to hang his coat. So far, their introduction was going well, and Jensen was relieved to see that his future husband was good-looking and polite.

The suitcases made his head reel more, and Jared went to the kitchen and put on the kettle. "I have fresh ground coffee here," he said. "One of the few perks of life out here." He returned to the living room and stared at the suitcases again. Rubbing the back of his head, he said, "So, I'm guessing your name's not Jenny."

Jensen blinked at Jared in confusion and then apology. "Oh, sorry. No, my name's Jensen...sometimes I go by Jen, but never Jenny."

Jared found a smile and said, "It's good to meet you, Jensen, even though, well, I was expecting a Jenny- a woman." He hunched his shoulders and said, "But that's no excuse not to be a good host. Let me show you to your room. I tried to make it neat... though it's a little feminine."

Jared had been expecting a woman. Jensen's heart sank, and he geared himself up to be sent back. He was disappointed, as Jared's marriage offer had been the best one he'd received and, if he were honest with himself, was the most interesting one to him personally. "I- thank you. I'm sorry I’m not who you were expecting." His shoulders slumped. "If you like, I can make my way back to town, and you can contact the agency for a bride."

The disappointment in Jensen's tone plucked at his heart, and Jared turned back to face the other man. "There's nothing for you to apologize for," he said firmly. "The agency obviously mixed up your name. And I'm not sending you back to town, alone, on foot and in this cold. Whatever we decide to do, we'll decide together. And damn it, I wanted some company during the holiday season, and if your profile is anything to go by, you were by far the best choice for that."

"Thank you. I’ll try to be good company," Jensen said with a small smile. He went back to grab his bags and followed Jared to the room. It was definitely more feminine than he'd choose for himself, but Jensen was not about to comment. 

"How about you take a moment to settle your things, and I'll pour us out some coffee? We can talk over the coffee. How do you take yours?" Jared favored Jensen with his largest, most sincere smile, hoping to set him at ease. 

"Black, thanks," Jensen said, placing the suitcases on the bed and opening them. He didn't have much and what he owned was with him, so he went about taking out the things he needed to hang in the closet and figured he could decide just how much else to unpack later...once they'd talked and he had a sense of how long he might be staying.

Jared went to the kitchen and poured the coffee, forcing his hands to be steady. After dumping an abundance of sugar and cream into his, he let his forehead thunk against the cabinet over the counter. "So much for a Christmas wedding." He chuckled softly to himself and said, "Well, at least you don't have to worry about the intimacy now."

Jensen sat on the bed once he'd put away the most important items. He took a couple of breaths and rubbed his hands on his thighs. The money would have already been transferred to his accounts and likely sent on to Mack's school. The first payment, at least. He'd have to find a way to repay Jared for those funds, since they were no longer available to be returned. Possibly Jared would let him stay and work off the debt while he waited for the agency to send him a wife. With that proposal in mind, Jensen felt slightly better and pushed himself to his feet with a shaky breath before walking to join Jared in the kitchen.

Jared had set two places and smiled at Jensen as he walked in the room. "Want anything to eat? I'm a mean cook, have to be if I want to maintain my taste buds."

Nodding, Jensen smiled and sat at the table. "A sandwich or something would be nice. It's been a long time since breakfast." He looked around the homey kitchen and wondered if Jared would like what he could make. "If you want to show me around, I could cook for you."

"Sure, let me give you the tour," Jared said, picking up his coffee and moving to the first cupboard. "As you can see, there's lots of space here. We get grocery delivery every other week and sometimes less than that, if the weather gets bad. I keep a lot of canned goods in a storehouse out back. This here is the indoor selection of canned goods." He opened the door and indicated a large array of shelves, stacked neatly with food of every sort. "Variety is the spice of life."

"Of course. It would make sense with living so far out of town." Jensen eyed the stacks of cans and knew he could make a decent set of meals with them on a regular basis.

Jared moved on to the super-sized refrigerator and opened the door to a blast of cold air. "I stock as much as I can in here, since I eat like a small elephant. Milk, juice, soda, beer, meat of all sorts, eggs, well, you can see." He chuckled self-consciously. "Most of it lasts the full two weeks, but I eat the most delicate first. So, any seafood I may get, which is like none, I gobble up."

Jensen chuckled. "I can imagine. Seafood must be a treat, then." He was determined to make the best of the situation and forced himself to try and relax. "Is there anything you're allergic to or do not like to eat?"

"Except frozen shrimp. Those I have too many of," Jared said. "Not like to eat? Uh, chard. Basically, I'm a food-eating machine. Especially after a day's patrol."

Laughing again, Jensen nodded. He made note to dispense the shrimp less frequently than meat and wondered again what had caused this seemingly available man to search for a mail-order companion. "What exactly are you patrolling?" 

"I’m the warden of this forest. I protect it from poachers, loggers and others who’d illegally exploit the resources. I sometimes patrol for days at a time, and my territory is large. There are a few other wardens in the area, but we seldom meet, though our territories overlap some. I try to alternate my routes, while making sure I cover everything. I love the job, but it gets lonely out here."

Jensen could only imagine how lonely Jared must have been on his patrols, especially if he was gone for days at a time without any contact. "It sounds like an important job, and I’ll do my best to always have things ready for you when you return and help you out however you need."

"Thank you," Jared said with gravity and then shut the refrigerator door, only to open the freezer. "Lots of frozen stuff. This becomes a godsend when the roads are impassable."

Jensen didn't know what to make of the quiet words and pushed all of the options to the back of his mind. He strove to remind himself that he'd barely been here any time and that Jared had been expecting a woman...likely a petite, delicate thing to take care of and keep him company.

"Dishes and pots and the like are in those cupboards over there. I have a small stock of fresh fruit and vegetables that don't take to the refrigerator, plus about a hundred pounds of potatoes in the smaller cupboard at the end. Now, you were talking about a sandwich?" Jared opened the main refrigerator door again.

"Yes, thank you," Jensen said, reeling slightly at the amount of stuff Jared had in his home. He wondered if there had been a recent supply run, since the driver certainly hadn't left anything but Jensen on the door step today.

"I have salami, turkey, chicken, bologna, ham and uh, this pomento loaf, which is definitely going." Jared tossed the offending meat on the kitchen counter. "We have a huge, bear proof garbage bin out back. Garbage is collected even less frequently than food, so we try to compost and recycle/reuse as much as possible. That whole meat pack can go in the compost... also bear proof."

Jensen nodded. "When is your next trip out?" he asked, looking past Jared into the refrigerator. "I'll just take some turkey, thanks."

"A few days. I wanted some time to settle in with my, uh, bride-to-be," Jared said with a sheepish smile. "Actually, I'm still hoping we can do things like get a Christmas tree and decorate the place."

"Of course, I'd love that," Jensen said with a shy smile. "I'm sorry that I'm not who you were hoping for, but I’ll do my best to help you have the season you were looking to enjoy."

"What kind of bread?" Jared asked, showing off a wide variety in his cupboard. "I'm sure we'll find a way to have a great holiday season."

Jensen laughed. "Wow, really, any bread is fine. I didn't realize that a sandwich was going to be so involved," he teased, eyes still wide at Jared's selections.

Jared blushed faintly and scuffed a big foot against the tiles. "Like I said, variety in foodstuffs is essential out here." He pulled out a sourdough loaf and began to cut pieces for himself and Jensen. "Want any condiments or vegetables? Actually, if you could cut some tomato pieces for me, I'd appreciate it."

"Yeah, of course," Jensen said, cursing himself for embarrassing Jared. He moved to where Jared had said stuff was kept, looking around for a cutting board and a knife before he went into the fridge for the tomato. "Do you want any lettuce or pickles or anything? I was going to grab some mayo."

"Lettuce, pickles, honey mustard and mayo for me, please," Jared said. He glanced over his shoulder. "Do we have any of the cucumber left? Some of that would be nice, too. Oh, and can you toss me the salami?"

Jensen grinned, reaching in for the salami and handing it to Jared, before he went back to grab all of the stuff Jared wanted. He searched for the cucumber, but came back up with a frown. "No cucumber, but everything else is here."

"Oh well, I must have finished that. I'll have to add it to the list." Jared gestured to a pad of paper sitting on the kitchen table. "If there's anything you want, just write it down there. I send it in a few days before the delivery."

"Okay, I will once I get a good look at what’s missing," Jensen said, slicing the tomatoes. He moved on to pulling off lettuce leaves and looked over at Jared. "What's your favorite thing about the holidays?"

Jared considered that for a moment as he grabbed the condiments and began to put them on the bread. "Do I have to choose just one thing?" he asked. "I'm a big kid about the holidays. Everything gets me excited. Especially when I have someone to share it with."

Jensen chuckled. "That's good. The holidays were always my favorite too. How about a list of several of the things you like the best, then. I'll start and say that I love caroling, playing in the snow and watching the lights on the tree when everything else is in darkness around me."

"I love listening to carols," Jared said. "My dogs sing better than I do, though." He flashed an embarrassed grin at Jensen. "I love making snowmen and snow angels. When I was little, my brother and I used to have huge snow wars." He laughed at the memory, though there was sadness in the sound. "And yeah, the decorations on the tree are always nice."

"You have dogs?" Jensen asked surprised, looking around at the realization that he'd not seen any animals at all.

"They're out back. They're both big and kinda rambunctious. I didn't want to scare a newbie right off. They'll jump all over you and lick you to death. But they're good to have on my patrols. They’re both sled dogs." Jared applied a heaping pile of meat to each sandwich. "Ready with the vegetables?"

Jensen nodded, bringing the cutting board over with all of the vegetables. "I'd like to meet them," he said. "I love dogs."

"They're the best," Jared enthused. "Harley and Sadie are their names. I've owned them both since they were pups." He took the vegetables and put them on the sandwiches, too. "There. Perfect. Want some chips and something to drink?"

"Sure, milk?" Jensen asked moving to the fridge and opening it, figuring that he could be useful.

"Sounds perfect," Jared said. "Not a big fan of coffee alone with my sandwich." He finished off his highly sweetened brew and set the empty mug in the sink. "We have a stream that supplies our fresh water and a filtration system to clean it before it's piped into the house."

"You really have everything out here, don't you?" Jensen asked, pulling out the milk and going back to the other cupboards to try and find a couple of glasses. Once they were filled, he brought them to the table. "You have chips?" he asked.

"About ten kinds, I think," Jared said and went into his huge cupboard. "Ruffles, Lays, Doritos, Cheetos, tortilla chips, Fritos, Kettle Chips salt and vinegar and sour cream and onion." There was a small crash. "Oh! And here's ranch Doritos."

Jensen tipped his head back on a laugh. The longer he was around Jared, the more he thought this could really work. "Fritos!" he called back.

Jared emerged with small bags of Fritos and Cheetos and tossed them on the table. "Anything else? Fruit?"

"No, thank you. I think this will be great," Jensen said, opening the bag of chips and putting a handful on his plate.

"Sweet," Jared said, grabbing an apple and sliding into a chair. "So, I thought we could get a tree today. There's a bunch of native invasive conifers encroaching on a meadow nearby, and I need to remove them. I left the best standing, so we could choose one, before I remove the rest. What do you think?" 

Jensen nodded and swallowed the bite in his mouth. "Sure, I think that'd be a great thing to start with today."

Jared beamed and said, "We can hook Harley and Sadie up to the dog sled, so they can haul the tree back for us. And we can take some snacks and hot chocolate." 

"Sounds great, a real nice day out," Jensen said, smiling and sipping at his milk before tossing a couple of chips in his mouth.

"And we can get to know each other better," Jared said. "One thing that struck me about your ad was your devotion to your family. I lost mine my first year in college."   
"I'm sorry," Jensen offered. "I lost mine rather recently, except my baby sister. Family is everything to me."

"I'm sorry to hear about your family," Jared said. "How old is your sister?"

"She's just seventeen and in her junior year at high school," Jensen said with a soft smile at the thought of his Mackenzie. He was sad that he'd likely never see her as a grown woman, but he knew that as much as it pained him, this was for her benefit.

"Megan would have been the same age," Jared said. He ducked his head for a moment. "You'll have to show me a picture, if you have one."

Jensen nodded and cleared his throat. "Of course. What happened to your family, if you don’t mind my asking?"

Jared's face fell, and he murmured, "Wrong place, wrong time. Angry guy with a gun, going into the store where he used to work. One of those things you hear happening to other people, you know?"

"Yeah," Jensen said with a quiet voice. "I'm sorry. That's a devastating situation to live through." He reached out slowly and squeezed Jared's wrist lightly before drawing his hand back.

Jared shivered slightly at the touch and lifted his head to look at Jensen. "And yours?" he asked.

Jensen's face fell, and he played with a couple of chips on his plate. "They were killed in an accident along with my older brother." 

Jared reached for Jensen's hand and wrapped his own around it. "We really are a lot alike," he said.

"We are," Jensen said, squeezing Jared's hand and lifting his gaze to look at him through lowered lashes. 

Jared shivered slightly at the look Jensen gave him and ducked his own head somewhat bashfully. "Have you ever been so far outside the urban world before?" he asked, trying to distract them both.

Jensen shook his head. "No, I haven't," he admitted. "But I really am looking forward to it. I'm pretty tired of the world out there."

"It's a hard place sometimes," Jared said. "I haven’t missed it, living here. I have all I need, except someone to share it with. At first, solitude was what I wanted. Just me and the wild. But I’ve grown weary of being alone."

"I can see both how this place would be enough to start with and then a bit lonely," Jensen offered a shy smile, again looking at Jared through his lashes. "It is beautiful."

"Wait until you see more of the woods," Jared enthused and took a huge bite of sandwich, laughing when condiments went everywhere. "Oops, I've forgotten how to eat in company."

Jensen chuckled. "It is nice to see someone who simply enjoys his life."

"I have always had eyes larger than my stomach," Jared admitted, "and my stomach is pretty large." He took another handful of chips. 

"Somehow I can believe that." Jensen chuckled again and sipped at his milk. He was more and more interested in Jared, but pushed thoughts of possibilities to the back of his mind.

"My momma used to say I had two hollow legs," Jared said ruefully. "I advise, when you cook, that you think of me as two people."

Jensen laughed again. "I can do that. I'm more like one and a half people." He grinned and took a huge bite of his sandwich, greatly appreciative of the fresh food that Jared managed to have available.

"So, doubling my regular order size seems to be the best bet," Jared said with a firm nod. "We may need another industrial-sized refrigerator."

"Well, you might want to wait and see if you really need that once your bride has replaced me," Jensen said quietly. He'd hate for Jared to expend himself for something that was ultimately unnecessary.

Jared flinched a little and then nodded once. "I already forgot," he said. "I'm sorry."

Jensen sighed. "I'm sorry. I’m only trying to think of you." He'd lost his appetite, but Jensen forced himself to take another bite. "I don't want to leave, Jared. But I want you to have what you wanted and you sent away for a wife, not a husband."

"You’re already sure you want to stay?" Jared asked, both complimented and amazed. "You hardly know me yet, and these marriages do come with a trial period, as it were."

"I do know I'd wish to stay, but the trial period is never a bad thing," Jensen said. He'd have chosen to stay, regardless of the circumstances. 

Jared smiled at him warmly and said, "Well, I don’t want to give you any false hope, but I promise to reserve judgement until the end of the trial period." He wiped off his mouth and said, "Honestly, you’re easy to talk to and for that alone, I’m grateful. I feared there would be a lot of awkward silences when my mail ordered bride arrived."

Jensen felt hope soar in his chest. Just the chance that Jared might change his mind relaxed him even more. If Jared did change his mind toward the end of the trial period, Jensen would have that much longer to have to return the funds, too. "And I find you as easy to talk with. It's nice to be able to relax with someone."

Jared stuffed down the last bite of his sandwich. "Why don't I hitch up the dogs to the sled, and you finish and get ready to go outdoors." He paused, remembering Jensen standing and shivering on the doorstep. "Do you have appropriate clothes?"

"I may need a jacket if you have an extra. I have plenty of long underwear and other warm clothing, but I was unable to get a jacket before I left." Jensen blushed at the admission, although he didn't let on that it was because he'd barely gotten enough money out of the contract to feed himself before he left.

"Of course," Jared said. "I'll rummage and see what I have for you." He patted Jensen on the shoulder, took his plates to the sink and went to the large armoire in the living area. "This cabin was not built with closets."

Jensen stood and cleared his plates, making note of the dishes that would need to be done later. He rubbed his hands on his jeans and then followed Jared into the living space. "I'll just go add some layers and be right back," he said, walking swiftly into his room and digging for some heavier socks that he hastily pulled on before going back to meet Jared.

Jared held out a heavy jacket of blue and said, "I bought this, but it turned out to be a little too small for me. It's an awesome jacket. I hope it fits you."

"I- thank you," Jensen said taking the jacket and sliding it on. It fit as though Jared had taken him shopping for it. He zipped it up and then slid on his gloves. "It's great. Thanks."

Jared surveyed him and then pulled out a pair of boots. "Try these. They may be a bit large, but the extra lining will help keep your feet warm." He yanked on his own coat.

Jensen blushed and slipped out of his shoes before bending down to tug on the boots. They were slightly large, but as long as he didn't go hiking through major snow drifts, he should be fine. He stomped his feet slightly and then stood up to take a deep breath. "Okay, think I'm ready."

Jared grabbed his own gloves, pulled his hood up and headed outside. He bounded across the snow and called, "Harley, Sadie!" Excited barking sounded from behind the house.

Following Jared more slowly, Jensen made certain to close the door securely behind him and then walked down the steps. He could hear the dogs running over the frozen ground and braced himself for the attack Jared said was likely coming his way.

Jared opened a gate and was met by two Siberian huskies, who knocked him right in the snow. The smaller one had bright blue eyes and was an almost even mixture of black and white fur. The larger had huge brown eyes and was mostly white, with some brown patches. They both had slobbery tongues, which greeted Jared's face eagerly. Until they spotted Jensen and raced for him. 

Jensen chuckled when they raced over, dropping to a crouch so that they wouldn't be able to jump up and knock him to the ground. He reached out and scratched at both of them, rubbing over their heads and down under their chests. "Hey there, babies. You're good dogs, aren't you?"

Both dogs nosed closed, sniffing and licking the new person. Harley reared to put his paws on Jensen's shoulders and barked.   "They like you," Jared said, as he pulled himself off the ground slowly. "Harley is the big one. Sadie is my best girl." 

"They're great," Jensen said, ruffling the fur again and standing when both dogs finally got down onto their own feet. "Have you had them long?" he asked.

"Got them when I came out here. They were only pups then." Jared scratched behind Harley's ears, and he nearly trembled himself over in rapture. "Going on five years now." 

Jensen chuckled and watched how easy Jared was with his dogs. "They're wonderful, Jared."

"They're my best friends," Jared said. "When I couldn't handle people yet... they were here for me."

"It's good you had them, then," Jensen said with a smile, tucking his hands in his pockets.

"You ever had pets?" Jared asked, calling for the dogs and heading for the sled shed.

Jensen shook his head, following Jared toward the shed and doing his best to keep up. This was going to be a whole new life for him if he was lucky enough to convince Jared that they were well suited and that he would make a good companion.

The dogs barked excitedly when Jared got out their sled and harness. He laughed when they got into place without orders and eagerly waited through being harnessed. "Want a ride?" he asked, gesturing to the sled.

"Sure," Jensen said shyly, moving to Jared's side. "Only one person at a time on the sled, right?"

"I will be driving," Jared said. He put down a tarp for some sort of seating and then tossed an old blanket to Jensen. "Put that over yourself after you sit." 

Jensen nodded, climbed onto the sled and then grabbed the blanket and tucked it in and around himself. He was surprised at the level of comfort, not having figured that it'd be all that easy to relax on the sled. "Will you be showing me around your work area?"

"A little today. We can do a more complete tour later. Of course, to really show you everything, we'd need to be gone for several days," Jared said. He gripped the back of the sled and called,"Mush!" They took off in a flurry of powder and excited barking.

Laughing, Jensen grabbed hold of the nearest surface to keep himself upright and watched as the world moved by from a distinctly different vantage point than he'd ever experienced before. He couldn't decide what to watch first, so he glanced at everything and tried to take in the desolate beauty around them.

"Like it?" Jared asked, running along behind the sleigh easily. "I had some help training the dogs, but they took to it easily. Nothing they love more than running along, pulling the sled together."

"It's pretty fantastic, but isn't it hard on you?" Jensen was amazed at Jared's ability to keep pace with the sled.

"Well, we will slow down soon enough. They need to burn off a little of that first burst of energy," Jared said. "And we're not going too far today. Just to the clearing I told you about."

Jensen nodded. "Of course...we need the tree." He tipped his head back to smile up at Jared and then went back to watching the scenery around them.

"And you can help me haul my decorations out of the shed. I haven't used them since I got here." Jared beamed happily. "I've been excited to have someone to share them with."

"I'd like that. I've not had a celebration myself in several years," Jensen admitted, shivering slightly and tucking the blanket more firmly around his body.

Jared looked down at him and asked, "Are you warm enough? There's hot coffee in the thermos in the pack next to you. Never leave home without it."

Jensen smiled, warmth at Jared's concern flowing through him. "I'm okay for now. But, thank you."

Jared brushed a finger over Jensen's head as the dogs eased into a slower pace, their tongues flapping. "We're nearly there. Doesn't take too long."

Closing his eyes at the fleeting touch, Jensen did his best not to shiver again, though it'd have nothing to do with the cold in this case. He wouldn't push, but Jensen was already more than interested in staying with Jared and showing him that they would make amazing partners and companions...in all ways.

"Whoa," Jared called and hopped off the sled as they pulled into a frosty meadow. He offered Jensen a hand and said, "The trees that are standing in the meadow or right at the edge are all going to be removed, so any of them are open for a Christmas tree."

Jensen took Jared's hand to stand up, squeezing it gently just before letting it go. He turned and looked at the trees. "Any of these? Really?" Jensen asked, starting for several of the larger ones.

"Well, we have high ceilings, but it would be good if we can reach to put on decorations," Jared said with a laugh, grabbing his saw and following Jensen. "Otherwise, any of them."

"Wow," Jensen said, walking around. He turned and looked back at Jared, eyeing him up and down. "You have a ladder, right?"

"Of course," Jared said with a laugh. "See one you like?"

Jensen nodded and then grabbed Jared's hand impulsively to drag him over to a tree that somewhat towered over them both. It was tall, fat around and fairly perfect from what he could see. "Is this one too big?" he asked.

Jared bit his lower lip as he measured out the tree and considered it in the living space. He finally beamed and shook his head. "I may have to take a bit off the bottom, but it'll be perfect." He prepared to saw, but then asked Jensen, "Are you sure?"

"Yes, please. I've always wanted a large tree," Jensen said, moving to Jared's side and getting ready to help him however he needed it.

"Stand behind me," Jared said, "so there is no chance of the tree landing where you are." He began to saw in earnest, after first apologizing to the tree. "I always feel bad when I need to remove plants, even if they are where they shouldn't be."   
Jensen moved behind Jared. "I understand, but think of how much pleasure we'll get from it while we celebrate the holiday together."

"Oh yes," Jared said with a joyful laugh. "We'll have lots to thank this tree for." He sawed more enthusiastically. "Starting to tip."

Bouncing on the balls of his feet, Jensen watched Jared work at the tree and almost leaned along with the way the tree listed. He was ready to get the tree home already, and it hadn't even been fully cut down yet.

"I can almost feel your excitement through my excitement," Jared said. He cut through the last bit of trunk needed and with an encouraging push, sent it gently to the snow. "Perfect!"   
Jensen wrapped his arm around Jared in a quick hug before moving toward the tree. "Looks great, Jared. I'm thrilled that we'll have a great tree."

Jared flushed at the contact, but forced himself merely to stand and follow Jensen to look at their tree. "Will you help me tie it to the sled?"

"Of course," Jensen said, helping Jared get the tree all tied up so it would be easier to get it set on the sled.

"We'll both have to hoof it back, since the tree's going to be a little large as it is," Jared said. "The weight isn't bad though."   
Jensen laughed, nodding and bumping Jared's shoulder. "Yeah, of course. I'm happy to walk if it means we have the best tree ever."

"Help me position it on the sled, please," Jared said, lifting the back end of the tree. "When we have it decorated, it'll be the best tree ever."   
"It will be," Jensen agreed, moving immediately to help Jared get the tree as centered on the sled as possible.

Jared hushed his dogs when they wiggled a little in the traces, eager and excited. He carefully lashed the tree to the sled, making sure not to mangle any of the branches. He paused mid-way and looked at Jensen. "Is this weird? I mean, hauling you out here on your very first day to get a tree?" 

Jensen shook his head and laughed. "Not at all. I think it's great, actually." He smiled shyly. "I was relieved actually. It feels like we're getting along and getting to know each other."

Jared bumped Jensen companionably and asked, "Want to try to drive the dogs? They're really well trained, so it shouldn't be hard."

"You'd really let me?" Jensen asked. 

"Of course," Jared said. "The most important things to know are how to steer them, though they know their way pretty well, and how to use the brake. They can take off pretty fast, too, so make sure to hold on tight. I've toppled over backward a few times."

"Right," Jensen said, a slight tinge of nervousness showing in his eyes. "I don't want to leave you behind."

"I'll keep up," Jared promised. "I'm used to running alongside the sled. Harley and Sadie wouldn't leave me anyway. They know who puts the food in their bowls."

Jensen nodded and swallowed hard at the idea of driving Jared's dog sled. "I'm ready." He stepped up to the sled, really hoping Jared would go over it all with him, so he was certain he knew what to do.

Jared moved to stand beside Jensen and said, "See the little lever on the footbrace? That's the brake. If they really give you trouble, just tread down on it with all your weight. They'll slow down." 

"That won't hurt them?" Jensen asked, concerned for the dogs.

"I'd never hurt my babies," Jared assured and rubbed Jensen's back reassuringly. "Or you. Now, when you want them to go, you call 'mush,' but never do that until you're sure you have a good hold of the handles. You can run behind or use the sled runners like skis."

Jensen nodded, reassured by Jared. He stepped on the skis, tried out stepping on the brake and then shook his body out to loosen himself up. Standing back on the snow, he looked Jared. "One last chance to back out," he teased.

"I have faith in your abilities," Jared said with a huge grin. "Show me what you got."

"Yeah, okay," Jensen said, stepping back into the skis. He figured that he ought to ride with them this first time, since he had no idea how fast they would be running. Grabbing on securely, Jensen called out 'mush' and almost lost his balance when the dogs took off.

Jared laughed in delight as Jensen shook a little, but stayed on. He ran with the sled, watching Jensen closely for any signs of distress. "Remember to lean into any turns!"

"Right, lean," Jensen said, laughing and holding on tighter than he probably needed. "It's a hell of a rush, isn't it?"

"It's awesome," Jared enthused and practically bounded a few steps beside him. "Try to slow them a little, so I can take it a bit easier."

Jensen chuckled, nodding. He did his best to tug back on the leads, hoping the dogs would respond easily and was pleased when they slowed down some. "That good?"

"Excellent," Jared praised, slowing to an easy jog to keep up. "This is good exercise," he breathed, watching his breath puff in the cold air.

"I bet," Jensen said. "You must be in great shape from all of the work you do out here."

"Well, it does help a lot," Jared said. "And if I get snowed in, I spend a lot of time exercising as something to do."

Jensen nodded, swallowing at the idea of being around Jared while he was working out in the house. He kept his eyes on the dogs and the path ahead of them. "Do you have a gym?"

"Not as such," Jared said. "A few pieces of equipment of various sorts. I'll show you. You can use them as you want." 

"Thank you," Jensen said with a quick grin, head turning and then moving back to the front immediately. His whole equilibrium was thrown off when he turned on the moving sled.

"Whoa, easy," Jared said with a laugh. "That takes some getting used to."

Jensen laughed. "I bet," he said, pulling back on the leads a few times to slow the dogs again slightly.

"Whoa, easy, Harley, Sadie," Jared called out to his happy dogs. They both barked and eased even more into a trot. "There we go."

"It's harder than it looks to keep them steady and to keep myself in balance," Jensen said, feeling a bit better now that they had slowed down again.

"Wait until you try it when they are at a full run," Jared said. "But it's worth the way it takes your breath away."

Jensen laughed, hoping he was able to be around long enough to learn how to do that. "How long have you done this?"

"A little over five years now. I barely managed to graduate from college, after, but I needed the degree to do my work," Jared said. "And this job saved me."

"Sounds like it's a great fit for you, especially if you have a companion to share your place with." Jensen relaxed his hands slightly, flexing them slightly and trying to release some of the tension in his shoulders.

"At first, all I wanted was solitude, but I was always a people-person. I miss having someone to talk to," Jared admitted.

Jensen smiled. "Well, talking's something we seem to do well." 

"It is easy to talk to you," Jared agreed. "I'm so glad." He beamed at Jensen, even as he trotted along, breath trailing behind him.

"I am, too," Jensen said, breathing deeply when the house came into view again. He was fairly tired already, the day starting to catch up with him.

"When we return, I'll start to prepare the tree to go inside. Should only take me a little bit to get it into a stand," Jared said.    
Jensen concentrated on leaning when the dogs turned toward the house, laughing when he managed to keep himself upright. So far he'd done okay, but his whole body was feeling the affects. "Do you want me to make some coffee to warm us up once you've got the tree set up?"

"You did awesome!" Jared said, squeezing Jensen's right arm as the sled came to a stop. "And yeah, that would be great. I'll need a hand hauling the tree in once I cut off some of the bottom and knock off the snow. I also need to get the dogs unhitched. Will you help me with that?"

"Of course, just show me what to do," Jensen said, releasing the leads and climbing off the skis a bit shakily. 

"We just need to unbuckle their harnesses and carefully pull them off," Jared said. "I suggest you take Sadie, since she's the gentler and less excitable of the two. Harley's always excited after some time pulling."

Jensen nodded, approaching Sadie with a smile. He put his hand out to her again to let her sniff him some more before he started to undo the harness. It was a quick and easy process, and Jensen couldn't help petting the dog and talking to her while he worked. She was such a sweet dog and seemed to lap up all the attention.

"She's going to be your best girl soon," Jared said, laughing as Harley tried to lick him to death. He lifted the harness and called the dogs, heading for the shed to put away their harness, get them some food and grab a couple of sawhorses. "Come with me, Jensen."

"Okay," Jensen grabbed the harness and followed Jared toward the shed. "Do the dogs live out in the shed? Or do they live in the house?"

"They have their own houses in the back, but I let them in a lot. They're pretty spoiled for musher dogs. These dogs know how to build little holes in the snow to sleep in, if they’re out in bad weather. And yet, I fret about them being in the cold." Jared looked sheepish.

Jensen chuckled. "I would too. They’re such sweet animals." 

Harley and Sadie bounced and pranced around the two men, as Jared opened the shed and carried in the harness. "I have to lock the doors to everything out here. Not cause of humans, but because of bears and other wildlife. We don't want them coming here looking for food."

"Makes sense," Jensen acknowledged, walking in behind Jared and keeping close in the slight darkness. He looked around as best he could, smiling when he could see the dogs almost prancing in place in front of their food dishes.

"Want to give them some of their kibble? It's in the big bin behind you. There's a scoop, and they each get one." Jared put the harness away neatly, taking care not to leave it twisted.

Jensen grinned and turned to see the large bin. "You must have to order in bulk for them, too." He moved to the bin, opened it and saw the scoop. Measuring the kibble out, Jensen put one serving in each bowl and then stood back while the dogs went after the food.

"Even if I run out of food, I make sure Harley and Sadie never do," Jared said seriously. He gestured to some shelves on the wall opposite. "That's where I keep the tools of my trade, plus stuff to keep the house in shape. It takes a beating over the course of a year." 

"Wow, you really are self-sufficient, aren't you?" Jensen looked around in awe and with an amount of pleasure. He could fit right in here and was even more determined to show Jared that they could work. Of course, if Jared wasn't interested in men sexually, nothing Jensen did would change that.

"Sometimes, we can get snowed in for a considerable period. It pays to have everything I need right here." Jared grabbed a sawhorse and asked, "Do you mind getting the other one?"

Jensen shook his head and crossed to Jared, easily lifting the other sawhorse and following Jared back out of the shed to set it up.

"Once we have the tree on the sawhorses, I'd love some of that coffee you offered earlier. I have the good stuff and an awesome coffee maker. Hell, I even have an espresso machine, if you're feeling adventurous. The company is willing to spend some money to make me comfortable. This job usually turns over really fast. People don't like the solitude. They get cabin fever." Jared carried the sawhorse to the sled an set it down nearby.

Once Jensen had set the second sawhorse up, he backed up slightly. "Have you ever thought of giving it up and trying somewhere and something else?" he asked, looking over the tree and moving to be able to grab a sold part of it. 

"Not seriously," Jared said. "I came here to escape, but this place captured my heart. I couldn't live in a city again. Not after being here." He finished untying the tree and grabbed the trunk. "On three. One. Two. Three." They lifted the tree on to the sawhorses.

"Yeah, I understand that. Okay, so now for coffee." Jensen smiled at Jared, dusted himself off as best he could before walking back to the house. He gave Jared another bright smile. "How do you take it?"

"There is no such thing as too much sugar, and a good dollop of cream, please. Basically, I take a little coffee with my sugar and milk." Jared set about shaking off snow and making sure all the branches were free.

Jensen laughed. "Nice. I’ll be back." He slipped into the house, leaning back against the door and closing his eyes. Taking a deep breath, Jensen whispered to himself, “He was expecting a woman, not a six foot something male. Don't forget that.”

Jared found himself humming as he made the tree ready for the indoors. He paused in the middle of sawing off some of the bottom and found his gaze straying back to the door, hoping to see Jensen emerge. With a little shake of his head, he finished the sawing and went to fetch the tree stand.

The coffee maker was a bit more complicated than Jensen was used to working, plus he took his time so he wouldn't end up rushing right back out. Once he had both cups made up, Jensen put his coat back on, tugged his gloves on tight and took up the drinks to return to Jared.

Jared looked up and beamed at Jensen. "You have perfect timing. I need a hand with the stand and then we can take the tree in. But first, sugar!"

"First sugar," Jensen echoed, chuckling and handing the cup over. He gripped his own with both hands and took a deep sip while looking around the yard. It was easy to imagine the place with lots of foliage, and he wondered if he'd get to see that.

Jared sipped his sweetened brew and sighed happily. "Perfect. Thank you." He closed his eyes and let the warmth flow over and through him.

Jensen grinned, hiding his face behind his cup and watching Jared openly. He sighed, sipped more of his coffee and turned to look back out over the land so he wouldn't be caught staring.

Jared set aside his coffee on the sled and said, "I'm nearly ready to carry the tree in. Will you help me?"   
"Stand first? Then carry it in?" Jensen drank down his coffee and set the cup aside.

"You can see how large the stand is. It weighs a considerable amount itself and makes it harder to move the tree around. But necessary." Jared lifted the huge stand and maneuvered it on the trunk, hammering it into place.   
Jensen nodded. "I can imagine. I mean, this tree would need a strong base considering it's size." He moved to help Jared angle the tree back onto the ground once the base was secured into it.

Jared admired the tree for a moment and then said, "Let's get her inside. Did you see a place she might fit best?"

"I was thinking in the back corner of the living room. It's a bit more open over there and then it wouldn't be too in the way," Jensen said, but then looked at the tree and laughed. "Well, as not in the way as a tree this large can be."

"Christmas trees are never in the way," Jared declared happily and reached for the bottom, easing the tree on it's side. "Ready to help me carry her in?"

Jensen chuckled. "Absolutely," he said, hefting his end and straightening up so he could carry without any issues. "It'll fill the room nicely."

Jared backed toward the house, navigating by memory and furtive glances over his shoulder. "Please alert me before I run into anything...because I will."

"I won't let you do that," Jensen said with a wink. He walked at Jared's pace, knowing there was almost nothing worse than the person at the other end hurrying you along when you were walking backward. "Though I could always nurse you if you got hurt."

"You have first aid training?" Jared asked, perking up at the idea.

Jensen nodded. "Yeah, not extensive, but I do know how to patch people up."

"That is a very useful skill, especially out here. I've had to patch myself up and recover from illness alone more times than I like to think about. Having an extra pair of hands will be beneficial to my health." Jared nearly fell over the top step in his excitement.

"Careful!" Jensen called to him. "Let's not put my skills to the test on the first day, okay?"

Jared laughed and managed to squeeze himself and the tree with its wide base through the front door. He banged one of his fingers against a wall while maneuvering the tree toward the living room, but escaped any further injury, which he decided was a definite win. Setting the tree down, he called, "Now, push to straight her up!"

Jensen grinned and pushed the tree, helping to tip it over onto the base with Jared guiding it. Once he could feel that it was settled, Jensen let go and stepped back to get a good look at the tree. "Wow," he breathed softly. "That's kind of intensely big."

"Man, we may have to ask for more ornaments," Jared said, stepping back to admire their tree. He threw an arm over Jensen's shoulders and pulled him close. "And lights."

Leaning into Jared, Jensen let himself relax slightly. "Looks good there. I'm sure it's going to look wonderful once it's decorated."

Jared bounced a little. "Let's get the sled put away and grab the decorations!"

"Don't we have to let it warm up?" Jensen asked, thinking of how his father had always insisted on that because the branches were supposed to settle or something. "Though, it does need water, that's for sure."

"Aw, you want me to wait?" Jared pouted. "Fine. Water is a great idea. I think I have some preservative to help it last, too. All in the shed."

Jensen laughed. "Okay, let's get the sled put away and get the tree ready. I just think it'll come out better if we do it tomorrow."

"I guess we can decorate the rest of the house," Jared said. He stuck out his tongue at Jensen.

"Good. Besides, it'll be fun to spread the decorating out over a couple of days, right?" Jensen nudged Jared lightly, turning to get his coat and gloves again.

"I guess..." Jared said, like a big kid, and then beamed again. 

Jensen laughed outright, finding Jared's enthusiasm catching. "Let's get this going, then. We can make some hot cocoa later, maybe have a fire and get to know each other more."

Jared knocked gently against Jensen and said, "I'm glad you're here, Jensen, even if you did take me by surprise." 

"I'm glad that you're glad," Jensen said, bumping Jared back. "I was hoping for a good holiday, and I think we just might be able to have one."

"I know we will," Jared said.  
~~~~~~~~~~

Jared collapsed on the rug which lay beside the roaring fireplace and stared at the decorated tree with eyes as big and bright as any child's. The dogs nosed at him and then flopped down to snuggle close. "It's perfect."

"It’s gorgeous," Jensen said, curled into the corner of the couch and eyeing the tree with as much delight as Jared.

"We could use another string of lights and more ornaments, but it's perfect," Jared said with a smile. 

Jensen chuckled. "I think it's perfect for our first year with a huge tree," he defended.

"When was the last time you had a tree?" Jared asked, stroking Harley and Sadie by turns.   
"My folks' last Christmas...so, a good number of years now." Jensen smiled sadly at Jared. "I did my best for Mack, but she's been away at school, and it was often easier for her to stay there over the holidays."

"It's been five years since I last celebrated. I think about it sometimes, how happy we all were." Jared rubbed his stinging eyes. "Not easy to do alone."

Jensen shook his head. "No, it's not easy. I'm hoping that time will still make it better, and well, we do have each other for company and cheer. Right?"

Jared smiled at Jensen, soft and warm. "Yeah. You've helped make the season fun, instead of lonely. Thank you." He ducked his head and cleared his throat a little. "Want some eggnog?"

"I'd love some eggnog," Jensen said, smiling at Jared. "And you've made this my first happy holiday in a long time."

"And there's so much more to come!" Jared enthused. "Would you like to see more of my patrol area tomorrow? We can hook up the dogs to the sled, pack a full lunch and make a day of it." He headed to the kitchen to pour them both some eggnog.

Jensen looked at the dogs still flopped on the floor, though both were watching Jared closely in case he was going to offer them treats. "I'd love it. A day outside sounds great."

"It’ll be cold, but some exercise will warm you up. I'll also take huge flasks of coffee and cocoa." Jared carried mugs full of eggnog into the room and sat down next to Jensen, offering him one. 

Taking the mug, Jensen took a sip and then sighed happily. "I'm getting more and more used to the cold with every trek you take me on."

Jared leaned back against the sofa, letting his arm brush against Jensen's. He was acclimating himself to the idea of having a man around the house instead of the woman he had expected. And it was proving far easier than anticipated. "There will be days when your long underwear will be your best friend." 

"And those days I'll not want to get out of bed, I bet," Jensen teased, thinking of how warm the comforter on his bed was and how much he was enjoying the life they were living so far. "Are those the days the dogs come in more?"

"There are mornings when the last thing I want to do is leave the comfort of my bed or sleeping bag," Jared confirmed with a nose wrinkle. "But once you're up and moving, it gets easier. And yeah, when I'm here, they sleep inside. And when I'm on patrol, we all curl up in the tent."

Jensen chuckled. "You've had years to get used to the cold and to movement making it better. I'll have to take your word for that." He sipped at his eggnog and nudged Jared's arm lightly.

"You know what would make this scene complete?" Jared asked, nudging back.

"What?" Jensen asked, taking another sip of his eggnog and smiling shyly at Jared again.

"Christmas carols!" Jared set his eggnog down and leaped up, nearly running for the stereo system.   
Jensen laughed, finished off his eggnog and put the cup on the side table next to the couch. "You want to listen to carols?" he asked, utterly charmed.

"You don't?" Jared answered, crestfallen and already going into sad puppy mode.

"No, I do. I do." Jensen shook his head at the puppy eyes.

Jared's smile flash-fired back to life, and he perused his CD collection for the holiday ones he hadn't heard in years. "Come help me choose."

"What's your favorite song?" Jensen asked, rising from the couch and padding quietly to Jared's side. He rested his hand on Jared's back, leaning forward to look at the pile.

"Oh Holy Night. I could listen to that endlessly. Mom used to roll her eyes at me cause I'd be wanting to hear it in like March."

"My favorite is _Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas_ ," Jensen said. "They both are gorgeous songs."

"Mmm, that is a good one," Jared said and put on a TimeLife Christmas, which had his favorite version of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. "You pick the next album."

Jensen nodded, looked through all of them and then pulled out a traditional mix of Frank, Bing and Dean. "I love listening to them."

"Yeah, they're tradition for a reason," Jared said. "Good choice."   
"They were my mom's favorites. She and I used to sing together while we made Christmas dinner," Jensen said, stepping back from Jared and turning to look about their living room.

Jared gave Jensen a one-armed hug and asked, "Can you sing? I have a voice like a buzz saw, only more out of tune."   
Jensen chuckled, leaned into the hug and nodded. "Yeah, I've always loved singing. Want me to sing for you some time?"

"Yeah," Jared said. "I'd like that. My family was never much for singing. Meg could carry a tune, but that was about the best we had to offer."

Jensen smiled. "I'll sing for you later then. After this album."

Jared hugged Jensen briefly again and said, "I look forward to that. Want to sit by the fire?"

"Sure," Jensen said, leaning into Jared briefly before moving toward the fire.

Jared waited for Jensen to seat himself and then sat down nearby, chuckling as the dogs moved to cuddle up close. "They already are your fans," he said. 

Jensen laughed. "I'm glad because I adore them too." He reached down and scratched both dogs before settling back into the couch. Acutely aware of Jared near him, Jensen tried to lose himself in the music and the Christmas spirit around them.

Jared listened to the carols silently for a moment, finally taking a deep breath. "I worked really hard in college. Too hard my family used to tell me. I never really had time for much other than my studies. And then my family was killed and I moved here."

"That's rough. I'm sure they were all proud of you, of your hard work and your determination. They're wonderful traits to have," Jensen said, admiring Jared's dedication.

"I had all these grand plans," Jared admitted. "But after, they seemed so unimportant." He offered a shy smile to Jensen. "What I’m trying to say is, I never had any serious relationships. Nothing that lasted or had much of a physical aspect. And I did like guys, as well as girls. When I chose a companion, part of what appealed to me about a woman was the idea that she would be less likely to judge me for that. And in your description, it said you were shy." He blushed in the firelight.

Jensen smiled shyly in response. "I am...usually." He chuckled slightly and bumped Jared's shoulder with his own. "You’re so comfortable to be around that I forget to be shy with you." He paused slightly, thinking on what to say about Jared's other admissions. "I'm not terribly experienced either, though I have had two serious relationships before that were intimate. I don't mind that you’re not experienced," he added, hoping like hell that he was not reading Jared's comments wrong.

"You’re easy to be around," Jared said. "I felt close to you from the first time we spoke, despite you not being what I expected. I want- I want to give this a serious try, if you want to."

"I would really like that, Jared. I've come to really enjoy being here with you," Jensen said with a gentle smile. He could feel his elation bubbling inside, but didn't want to spook Jared with his excitement.

Jared answered Jensen's smile and ducked his head again. "What did you expect, as a mail order husband?"

Jensen chuckled wryly. "I was hoping I might find someone who was at least slightly interested in me as a person and not just as a man around the house. You were the only man to express interest, so I thought I'd spend my life with a woman, which would have been fine. Obviously, I indicated that either would be fine, but I've always preferred men."

"Well, I'm interested in you as a person," Jared assured him with a warm smile. "Were you scared, coming out here to be with a man you didn't even know?"

‘"Not scared, but worried. I wasn't sure what to expect, really. This place is pretty far out in the country." Jensen grinned at Jared wickedly. "I was kind of expecting more of a mountain man."

"Are you saying I'm not rugged enough?" Jared demanded playfully. He flexed his arms, trying to show off his muscles through the layers. "I'll have you know I'm plenty tough."

Jensen chuckled low. "You certainly are plenty tough, but I meant more rugged, and not in the muscular sense." He whispered, "I'm real glad you don't have a long beard and huge mustache."

Jared threw back his head and laughed, holding his stomach. "Oh. Oh. Were you really afraid the door would be opened by Grizzly Adams?"

"More than I can tell you," Jensen admitted. "I was more than a little relieved and rather pleased when someone young and attractive opened the door instead."

Jared blushed slightly, though he continued to chuckle. "Well, thank you. You're not exactly hard on the eyes, either. In fact, I'm shocked you're not already taken."

Jensen blushed in return. "I’ve been working too hard, three or four jobs at times just to keep Mack in school. There was no time once my folks died."

Jared nodded in understanding and bumped lightly into Jensen. "We're a fine pair, huh?"

"Yes, I think we are," Jensen agreed, nudging Jared back slightly. "I think we might have been an unlikely pair, but I like you. I think we’ll do well together."

"I hope so," Jared said with complete sincerity. "I want someone to share my life with."

Jensen beamed at Jared, hope welling again. "So do I, Jared." He hesitated, reaching out and hovering his hand over Jared's. "May I hold your hand?"

Jared turned his hand over and took Jensen's gently, twining their fingers. "Yeah," he said huskily. "I like that idea." He moved to rest closer to Jensen, theirs sides touching.

Curling his fingers around Jared's, Jensen let out a slow breath. "Me too," he said, leaning closer to Jared and stroking his thumb over Jared's hand in a slow, steady motion.  
~~~~~~~~~~

Jared lay by the fire, one hand on his stomach, which was near bursting after Jensen's steak dinner with all the trimmings. He sighed contentedly and shifted so his shoulder pressed against Jensen. "Damn, you can cook." 

"I'm glad you liked it," Jensen said, pressing into Jared's shoulder. He reached down and took Jared's hand in his, letting them rest over Jared's stomach. "I love cooking up great cuts of meat."

Jared felt a flush of warmth as Jensen pressed their hands together. He’d grown steadily closer to the other man in the week plus since Jensen moved in. "You'll spoil me that way."

Jensen chuckled low. "I'll spoil you always," he said softly. "If you let me."

Jared lifted their hands and pressed a kiss to Jensen's knuckles. "Sweet talker," he whispered.

Shivering slightly, Jensen smiled at Jared with his eyes half closed. He'd been growing more and more interested in taking their relationship further...want clawing at his gut when Jared teased him so gently.

Jensen's half-lidded gaze sent a thrill racing along Jared's spine, and he smiled back, unsure how to proceed. "You have any ideas for Christmas dinner? There's plenty in stock, but we have time to order something special."

"Anything you want? Our family always did a second Thanksgiving-style dinner." Jensen played with Jared's fingers, trailing the pads of his fingers up and down over the warm skin.

"My momma went wild every holiday season, so we never knew what we'd get. Was always good though. Our last year, she made Cornish game hens. I ate like five of them." Jared smiled at the memory, stroking Jensen's hand lightly with his thumb.

Jensen snorted with laughter. "I bet you did. You can eat more than anyone else I've ever known." Rolling onto his side, Jensen took his free hand and rested it on Jared's chest, stroking him lightly.

"I'm a big boy," Jared said with a little pout. He shut his eyes contentedly as Jensen touched him. "You have nice hands."

"Thanks," Jensen said with a blush. "You are a big boy...guess it's a good thing I like big guys."

Jared flushed a deep red and muttered something that didn't even make sense to him. The idea of Jensen liking big guys made his insides squirm in a mixture of pleasure and nerves. 

Jensen chuckled, scooted slightly closer and rested his head on Jared's chest. He could feel Jared's heartbeat increase and Jensen felt his own start to race. Wanting coursed through him and Jensen wondered just what Jared might be interested in trying.

Jared threaded a hand through Jensen's hair and lightly massaged his scalp. "Feels right to have you this close."

"I'm glad you think so...because I feel so comfortable here with you, too." Jensen sighed and closed his eyes. Jared's hand in his hair was turning him to mush.

"You've fit in so well here," Jared said. "Sledding with the dogs. Taking care of the house. Just being with me." His hand trailed down to rub the back of Jensen's neck. 

Jensen shivered at Jared's caress. "I feel like I was meant to be out here. Your life is so appealing to me...sharing it with you is even more appealing." He hoped he wasn't being too forward with his comments.

Jared cupped the back of Jensen's head and tugged him, wanting to look in his eyes. "You mean that?"

Looking into Jared's hazel eyes, Jensen nodded. "I do. I feel as though we fit together. I think we could have a wonderful life."

Jared swallowed hard and leaned forward to press his mouth to Jensen's for a gentle kiss. 

Jensen hummed in soft surprise, his eyes drifting shut when their lips pressed together. He brushed his mouth over Jared's, shivering at the slight drag of their lips.

Jared pulled back and smiled softly. "I liked that. You have a soft mouth." He blushed at his own silly words.

"Thank you," Jensen said. "You have very firm lips...but they're also soft." He smiled shyly and then leaned in again for another gentle kiss.

Jared urged Jensen closer, opening up to the kiss and flicking his tongue playfully along Jensen's full lower lip. He cradled the back of his head and played with the strands of his hair, moaning softly at his first intimate touch in years.

Jensen moaned, shivering at Jared's teasing touches. He opened his mouth and flicked his tongue lightly against Jared's.

The first touch of tongues shocked Jared, body sparking with pleasure. He deepened the kiss thoughtlessly, trying to taste and learn Jensen.

Opening his mouth wider to Jared's kiss, Jensen let him explore and taste. He wasn't used to being so passive, but Jensen didn't want to scare Jared off by being too aggressive even if he wanted to grab hold of Jared tight and kiss him senseless.

Panting softly, Jared lay back and stared at Jensen with a dazed expression. "The last time I kissed a lover was almost seven years ago. And I swear it never felt like that."

"You're a good kisser," Jensen said. "I feel like there's a different kind of connection between us."

"Am I?" Jared asked, sincerely curious. "I like the way you feel in arms." 

Jensen nodded. "You are, and I love the way your arms feel around me." He wriggled slightly, moving himself further up Jared's body. Jensen dragged one finger over Jared's lower lip. "I've wanted to kiss you for a few days now."

"You haven't even known me that long," Jared murmured, kissing Jensen's finger and then sucking on it a little.

Humming softly in response, Jensen shook his head. "I haven't, but I was attracted to you the minute I saw you." He blushed and ducked his head. "But getting to know you has made me want you even more."

Pleasure warmed Jared, and he tugged Jensen back into a gentle kiss. "Will you teach me?" he whispered.

"I'll show you anything you want," Jensen offered softly. He brushed their lips together and then pressed in a little deeper to taste Jared's mouth.

Jared smiled and cautiously slid a hand under Jensen's shirt, touching the warm skin beneath. "You’re the best looking person I have ever seen."

Jensen blushed a bright red at the comment, ducking his head and pushing into Jared's touch. "You're the handsomest man I've ever seen."

Jared smiled and kissed Jensen again, spreading his hand over warm skin and stroking. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Jensen breathed. "What do you want me to teach you?"

"Everything about being intimate," Jared whispered. "How to touch you, pleasure you. What it means to be a partner...that way."

"Here, let's sit on the couch then. We'll take it slow." Jensen pressed a quick, soft kiss to Jared's mouth and then pulled back and climbed to his feet.

Jared stood after him, swaying toward Jensen. He nodded once and headed for the sofa, trying not to be too overeager, lest he fall over his own feet.

Letting Jared settle on the couch, Jensen sat down next to him and made sure to get their bodies settled together. He wrapped one arm around Jared's shoulders with a smile and then took his other hand and slid it back under Jensen's shirt to touch his skin. "I like the way you touch me." Releasing that hand, Jensen cradled Jared's head with it and brought him in for a deeper kiss than they'd shared before.

Jared moaned into the kiss and followed Jensen's lead, pressing closer to him. He rubbed Jensen's back with broad sweeps, unaware of the action. 

Jensen responded with soft moans and flicks of his tongue over Jared's. Jared was responding so well, so openly, and it made Jensen ache for him. He stroked his hand down Jared's back, pulling him even closer while deepening the kiss even more.

Jared retreated a little, resting his forehead on Jensen's and panting softly for breath. "Was that all right?" he murmured, unsure.

"Yeah," Jensen whispered. He cleared his throat, chuckled slightly. "That was pretty amazing, Jay." Stroking his hand down Jared's back, Jensen rucked up his shirt and pressed his palm on the warm skin. "Did you like it?"

Jared flushed with a combination of want and embarrassment and nodded once. "Yeah, I liked it a lot, Jen." He nuzzled Jensen's cheek and then initiated his own kiss, trying to emulate what Jensen had done.

Humming softly, Jensen opened his mouth to Jared, using his tongue to coax Jared forward and give him the chance to explore exactly what he wanted out of Jensen. He clenched his hand in the muscles of Jared's lower back, whimpering softly at the erotic pleasure of Jared learning on him.

Jared lost himself in the kiss, drugged by Jensen's soft mouth and playful tongue. He knew Jensen was more experienced, could tell with every moment they kissed and touched. The whimpers went straight to his head and his groin, making him dizzy and hard. 

Jensen pulled back to gasp in a few breaths, smiling at Jared and shifting to relieve the ache in his cock. "Love the way you kiss me, Jay. It's hot."

Jared smiled, brilliant and shy. "Is it? I mean, you're making me all hot and bothered, but..." He dropped his eyes and then lifted them again. "It's okay?"

"It's better than okay," Jensen assured him. He smiled and brushed their lips together lightly. "Your mouth is amazing, Jay."

Jared chuckled a little and said, "My mouth has been called a lot of things, mostly loud and large, but never amazing." He trailed his fingers over Jensen's side.

Jensen chuckled and squirmed slightly at the ticklish touch. "That's because no one's ever appreciated your kisses like I do."

"Yeah, guess not," Jared said with a slight smile. He lifted a hand to cup Jensen's face and stroked a thumb over his cheek. "You feel right."

"I'm glad because you do, too. You fit me perfectly." Jensen tipped his head into the touches and closed his eyes to snuggle into it.

"Tell me...what you like," Jared whispered, stroking Jensen's cheek. "What you want."

Jensen huffed out a breath, doing his best to not slam his hips up into Jared's body. "I want to feel you, to touch you and to see what I do to you."

Jared looked at Jensen's torso and breathed out harshly. "You- I want to touch you all over." He nibbled at Jensen's neck and then sucked on an earlobe, tugging gently.

Moaning, Jensen arched his head back and shivered. He couldn't control his responses to Jared even if he wanted to. "Go ahead...you can touch me any way you like."

Jared rucked Jensen's shirt up, watching his face for compliance. He thumbed over his ribs and firm abdomen, curiously twirling over his bellybutton. "Your working out has paid off."

"It has," Jensen agreed. "Have to keep up with you," he teased quietly, his stomach muscles quivering with the way Jared toyed with his belly button.

Jared laughed softly and ducked his head to kiss Jensen's chest, right over his heart. "I'm a bit of an exercise nut."

Jensen hummed. "I might've noticed," he murmured, stroking his hands up and down Jared's arms and back.

Jared found Jensen's right nipple and flicked his tongue over it once. He hummed a little at the flavor and repeated the action.

"Oh god," Jensen moaned, tangling the fingers of one hand in Jared's hair and shivering. "Feels so good, Jay."

"Yours are sensitive?" Jared asked. "I've noticed mine are, but never knew if other men were the same way. Read they can be..." He blushed and rubbed his hot cheek over Jensen's chest, looking up at him.

Jensen nodded, almost writhing. "Yeah, they are, especially with the easy way you play with them." He blushed slightly at the admission.

"Play with them," Jared murmured and licked softly at them, quick flicks of his tongue as he alternated sides. He clasped Jensen's torso firmly in his hands and moved around on the couch, until he had complete freedom to move Jensen as he wanted.

"Jay," Jensen moaned, arching against the back of the couch. He dropped his head back and tightened one hand in Jared's hair before he stroked down to grab hold of Jared's back.

Jared smiled and pressed a soft kiss to Jensen's breastbone again, before moving attention to the long length of his neck. He kissed up the arch and inhaled deeply at his pulse point. "Smell good, too."

Jensen shivered, cock responding to the depth of Jared's voice and the feeling of him breathing in Jensen's scent. "Fuck," he moaned, wriggling under Jared, helpless with the wave of desire crashing over him.

Jared smoothed his hands over Jensen's sides and flanks, like he was trying to calm a nervous horse. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah," Jensen breathed out, clinging to Jared and trying to focus on steadying himself slightly. "It's intense, Jay. The way you touch me; the way I react to you."

"Should I stop?" Jared asked, unsure of himself and the situation. He looked down at the beautiful man in his arms and longed fervently to touch more.

Jensen shook his head. He let out a shaky breath and then brought his hand up to cup Jared's face. "Just give me a minute, or I'll end up embarrassing myself."

Jared smiled and reached a shy hand down to touch the bulge at Jensen's crotch. He felt the heat and hardness clear through the denim and whispered, "You're hard for me."

Moaning, Jensen closed his eyes when his hips rocked up into Jared's touch. "Oh god," he breathed out, nodding.

Jared felt his own cock twitch in response and said, "Think I'm going to embarrass myself, too." He stroked a finger over the Jensen's cock again, watching it move. "Fuck." 

"Jay!" Jensen cried, hips arching up. If Jared touched him again, Jensen knew he was going to come in his pants.

Jared pulled back and looked at Jensen with huge eyes, like a scolded puppy. "Should I not do that?" he asked. "What should I do?"

"If you touch me, I'm going to come, Jay. All over my pants...it feels too good," Jensen said, caressing Jared's face and smiling shyly at him.

"So I should- what should I do?" Jared stared at Jensen's crotch and then back at his face, confused and wanting.

Jensen chuckled harshly. "Just give me a second...need to get myself under control." He took Jared's hand in his, tangled their fingers together and brought it up to press kisses over it.

Jared made an embarrassed noise and asked, "Could we, uh, could we get each other off by like uh, rubbing?"

"Yeah, absolutely. You were about to get me off with your touches." Jensen grinned and squeezed Jared's hand. "It tends to make things a bit messy."

"And that was bad," Jared said. "You don't like doing that." He squeezed Jensen's hand back and tangled their fingers.

Jensen shook his head. "I don't mind, but I'm not ready just now. I was enjoying your other actions too much."

"Too fast," Jared said and settled next to Jensen on the couch. He placed their joined hands on his right leg and smiled goofily at him. 

"Just a little," Jensen agreed, breathing more evenly now. "It's our first make-out session, after all," he teased.

Jared colored all the way to his roots and dropped his head, mumbling a little about no experience and carried away with everything.

"Hey," Jensen said softly, reaching out and tipping Jared's face up. "I'm the one who got carried away by how you make me feel, Jay. There's nothing to be embarrassed about. It's a good thing that you make me want you so much."

Jared's eyes brightened, and he offered his arms to Jensen, wanting to hold the other man close. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," Jensen said, sliding right into Jared's arms and resting against his chest. He sighed happily, glad to be able to have the closeness of someone holding him tight.

Jared pressed his face into Jensen's neck and sighed happily. "Always was a big hugger. Nice to have someone other than the dogs to hold."

Jensen hummed. "Good thing I love being hugged then," he said, turning to press a kiss to Jared's cheek. "You can hold onto me as much as you like."

"Can we spread out on the couch? You laying against my chest?" Jared asked hopefully.

Jensen nodded, pulling back so that Jared could position himself. Once he was settled in, Jensen lay down and curled himself into Jared's arms. "This good?"

Jared nodded and pressed a kiss to his crown, pulling Jensen tight to him. He shut his eyes and enjoyed the warmth and closeness, so different from the passion of before. But no less welcome. "Perfect."  
~~~~~~~~~~

Jared bounced out of his bed early on Christmas morning and shiver-bounced his way to the fireplace to put on logs and warm the living room. Cackling, he raced to Jensen's room, threw open the door and flopped on his bed. "Christmas! Wakey-wakey sleepyhead!" 

Jensen moaned at Jared's sneak attack, burrowing under his covers to stay in the warmth. It was getting chillier and chillier every morning. "Sleepin'," he croaked.

Jared laughed and curled around the huddled mass under the covers. "Jen," he crooned. "It's Christmas morning. There are presents under the tree, a fire in the hearth and a special breakfast waiting to be made."

"It's cold," Jensen moaned, sticking his nose out of the covers and blinking blearily at Jared.

Jared darted forward and kissed Jensen's nose and forehead. "Good morning, love," he said. "It is cold. But it's warm in the living room. And the kitchen will warm up, too." 

Jensen lifted his mouth for a real kiss, pouting slightly at Jared until he got what he wanted.

Jared laughed fondly at the expression and kissed Jensen, tangling their tongues in an affectionate twist. "Come on, Jen. Please."

Humming, Jensen stretched under the covers and then reached up to wrap Jared in his arms and tug him to the bed. He chuckled out loud and rolled until he was half on top of Jared and could kiss him as he wanted to. When Jensen finally pulled back with a quiet little moan, he beamed at Jared. "Now I'm awake."

Jared laughed and cradled Jensen in his arms. "Well, I can handle waking you up that way every morning, if needed." He stroked over his back, face going serious as he contemplated the man who already meant the world to him.

"I like the sound of that," Jensen agreed, kissing Jared one more time before pulling back and sitting back on his heels on the bed. "So breakfast and presents? Or presents and breakfast?"

Jared whined a little as Jensen moved away, but sat up with a grin. "Breakfast and presents! Together. Double our pleasure." He beamed at Jensen and slithered off the bed.

Jensen bit back a moan at the way Jared moved so sensually without even knowing it. He adjusted himself quickly and then stood on the cold floor, almost dancing from foot to foot. "Need my slippers and then we can make breakfast together."

Jared showed off his Christmas-themed slipper socks and winked at Jensen. "Meet you in the kitchen!" He zoomed off.

Laughing, Jensen went and grabbed his own pair of slippers and raced after Jared, skidding into the kitchen not far behind him. He reached for the fridge and started to gather stuff to make their breakfast with.

Jared started cutting fruit for their fritters. "Banana, apple and peach slices coming up. You got the batter mixing?"

"Of course," Jensen said, first sifting together all of the dry ingredients and then moving on to mixing up the wet ingredients. He loved the way they worked well together, whether in the kitchen or out on the trails.

"This is gonna rock your world, Jen," Jared promised, moving the fruit over near the batter and starting up the pan to fry them. "So yummy."

Jensen slowly added the dry ingredient to the wet, stirring everything together to make sure the batter wasn't lumpy. He turned to watch Jared work while he waited for the pan to be hot enough for them to start frying the fritters up.

"Ready?" Jared dumped some of the fruit into the batter and then scooped them on to the pan. He watched them cook for a moment, before turning them over. "Want to get out plates and the powdered sugar?"

"Sure," Jensen said, stroking his hand down Jared's back before going to the pantry to get the powdered sugar and then rummaging in the cabinets for the plates, silverware and mugs for the coffee that Jared had already started brewing for them.

Jared shivered pleasurably and threw a blinding smile at Jensen. "They smell awesome." He scooped the finished ones on to a serving dish and said, "You start."

Jensen grinned and took a couple for his plate and put a couple on Jared's too. He sprinkled all of them with the powdered sugar and waved lightly over them. Neither of them needed to get burned on the hot batter.

Jared fried up some more and then dropped them on the serving plate, before removing the pan from the heat. "Want to go eat by the fire?"

"Of course," Jensen agreed easily, dusting the remaining fritters with the powdered sugar before he started to pour them both huge mugs of coffee. "If you grab the food, I'll bring the caffeine."

"Can't deal without the caffeine," Jared confirmed, pressing a quick kiss to Jensen's mouth, before grabbing all the various plates and hauling them into the living room.

Jensen hummed softly to himself, watching Jared go before he made up their coffees and then followed him into the living room. He put the mugs down and then went to light the Christmas tree and open the drapes so they could see out into the wintery wonderland outside. Curling up on the couch next to Jared, Jensen grabbed a plate and sat back, placing his cup on the end table and digging into his fritters.

Jared dug into his own food, moaning at the rich flavor. "Damn, these are good. Always loved it when my momma made them for the holidays."   
"It's a great tradition," Jensen agreed. "Our family usually had pancakes and cream of wheat."

"We can do that tomorrow, if you like," Jared said, leaning against Jensen with a happy sigh.

Jensen nodded, finished off his fritters and put the plate aside. He grabbed his coffee in one hand and dropped his other on top of Jared's head to tangle in his hair while he stroked slowly over the strands. "I'd like that, I think."

Jared barely refrained from purring like a big cat and asked, "Want anymore?"

"Not just yet," Jensen said, enjoying the fact that Jared was so tactile. "We should probably open our presents next."

"Before finishing breakfast?" Jared asked, gobsmacked.

Jensen laughed. "I thought maybe you were done since you ate all your fritters."

"That was only round one!" Jared said, still scandalized. "I have a whole 'nother serving plate full!"   
Snorting with his laughter, Jensen tugged lightly at Jared's hair. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to his lips once he'd stopped snickering. "All right then, have another plate of your fritters before we open the gifts."

Jared pulled Jensen into another kiss, even so saying, "You mock my eating habits! I'm a growing boy!"   
"Growing boy," Jensen snorted, smiling at Jared indulgently. "Not sure I can handle you if you get much bigger."

"But it would be fun to try?" Jared asked, all innocence. He grinned and scrambled to his feet to get more fritters. "Sure you don't want more?"

Jensen snorted in laughter and shook his head. "Nah, I'm full for now. I'll get more coffee, though," he said and climbed up off the couch to take his plate to the sink and top off the coffee.

"You could live on coffee," Jared said with a grin. He filled his plate again and returned to the sofa. "Or just raw caffeine."

"Hmmmm, raw caffeine would be nice. IV right into the blood stream," Jensen chuckled, settling on the couch with Jared again.

"Something to get you next Christmas," Jared said, stuffing himself with more fritters.

Jensen's heart skipped a beat. He wanted to hope that Jared really and truly meant that. "Hmmmm, it'll keep me much more awake."

"And as cute as you look asleep," Jared said, "you're even better awake." He leaned in for a powdered sugar kiss.   
Humming, Jensen returned the kiss, being careful to keep the coffee out of the way. He licked his lips after, grinning. "Hmmm, sweet."

"Never have too much sugar," Jared said and made a face at Jensen's black coffee. "Are you ready for presents?" He looked at the gaily-wrapped boxes under the tree.

"Absolutely," Jensen said, sipping at his coffee with a happy smile. He nudged Jared's leg. "Why don't you open that little white one with the green trees on it first?"

Jared grinned and practically bounced off the sofa to pick it up, grabbing a medium-sized one for Jensen. He rattled his like a little kid and grinned when it squeaked. "You got me a rubber mouse!" he guessed.   
Jensen snorted. "Yes, I absolutely got you a rubber mouse." He shook his head and took the package from Jared, undoing the wrapping paper slowly and carefully.

Jared laughed and tore open the package with even great enthusiasm than usual. "It's a Zainies Holiday Greenies squeaker dog toy!" he said with joy. "Two of them. Aw, Jen, you got our babies toys!" Heedless of anything else, he tackled Jen for a kiss.

Squeaking when Jared attacked him, Jensen let his own gift thump to the floor. He wrapped himself around Jared and kissed him soundly. "Thought you might like a gift for them too."

"You are the best dog father ever," Jared proclaimed, nuzzling Jensen's face. "Oh, sorry. Made you drop your gift."

Jensen grinned, blushing and holding Jared tight. "That's okay...I'll always take surprise kisses from you." He kissed Jared again and then straightened them both up so he could finish opening his present. When he saw the gourmet coffee, he almost whimpered. "Jay...this is...wow, thank you."

"Are those good blends? The reviews said they were good blends, but I've never really paid a lot of attention to coffee before, cause I always just toss in a ton of cream and sugar."   
"Yeah, these are amazing, Jay. I've only had them like once before...at someone's house." Jensen smiled at Jared, knowing his emotions were in his eyes, but unable to help himself. He was slowly falling deeper and deeper in love with the man before him.

Jared answered the smile instantly, glad to have made Jensen happy. "I'm so glad. I wanted to make sure I got you good things. You deserve them."   
"Thank you," Jensen said. "You have been amazing, especially since I’m not who you were expecting."

"Well, I’m not sure what I was expecting," Jared admitted with a little smile. "Just not a man. But it doesn't matter, not since I've gotten to know you." 

Jensen smiled shyly. "I'm glad. You were more than I was hoping for when I came out here."

"I am?" Jared asked and dipped his head with a blush. "I want to make you happy. You deserve to be happy." He shook himself and asked, "Did I see a gift from your sister?" 

Jensen allowed himself to be distracted for a moment. "Yeah, Mack's gift showed up a few days ago."

"Open it next," Jared said with a grin. "I want to see what she gave you."   
Jensen got up and grabbed the present he had from Mackenzie and another, smaller one that she had sent to Jared. He moved back to his seat and then handed Jared the small box. "She sent you one too," he said, smiling and starting to open his own little package.

"Me?" Jared asked, shocked and delighted. "Oh, should I open it? Can I? May I?" 

"Of course," Jensen said with a chuckle. "She wanted you to have it."

"Yeah." Jared opened this present carefully, not wanting to chance harming whatever Jensen's sister had sent him. "Someday, you'll have to have her come visit," he said absently.

Jensen sucked in a breath. "I'd love for her to do that...someday."

"Good. A real family gathering," Jared said and then gasped at the picture enclosed. "It's you and your sister? I mean, this has to be your sister. You look so cute together."   
Leaning over, Jensen chuckled. "Yeah, that was right before she left for school...a couple of years ago now." He didn't mention it was the last time he'd actually seen her in person. Jensen sat back and carefully opened his own gift, smiling at the wooden box with the note inside that his sister had made it in a shop class she'd had to take.

"We'll find a good place for the picture," Jared promised and set it carefully aside to watch Jensen open his own present. "What is it?"   
"It's meant to be a spice box," Jensen said, turning it so Jared could see the smaller compartments inside the wood.

"That's really well made," Jared said and leaned closer to examine the box. "We'll get special spices to put inside."   
Jensen smiled with pleasure at Jared's compliment of his sister's handiwork. "That'd be nice. Maybe all the spices we'd need for a specific or something."

"We'll find something," Jared promised and stroked Jensen's cheek, pulling him in for another kiss. 

Jensen hummed into the kiss, eyes slipping shut. He leaned forward slightly, hand gripping Jared's leg to keep himself balanced.

Jared tugged on Jensen's lower lip as he broke the kiss. "I think there are still a couple of presents each under the tree." He thumbed Jensen's mouth before forcing himself to move and grab two more packages.

Chuckling, Jensen took a deep breath and forced himself to sit back on the couch. He adjusted himself when Jared's back was turned and then watched him walk back to the couch. "Open mine first?" he asked.

Jared grinned happily and set his gift for Jensen on his knees, before flopping on the couch again. He examined his gift from all sides, before ripping it open and then carefully extracting a long, soft, warm scarf in vibrant blue. He grinned and rubbed his face in the garment, before wrapping it around his neck and sighing. "This is so snuggly. Thank you! I always need to keep warm and this will remind me of you while I do."

"I was hoping you liked it and would need it," Jensen said with a grin. The fluffy material snuggled around Jared so appealingly. "It just seemed like it would suit you."

"It does, perfectly," Jared said, playing with the scarf happily. "Just have to make sure the dogs don't get at it. They think things like this are for chewing on."

Jensen chuckled. "We'll make sure it sits up nice and high, then." He carefully opened his next gift from Jared, pulling out thick gloves that fit perfectly when he pulled them on. They were lined with a soft, fleece like material and yet were supple enough that he could move his hands easily. "They're gorgeous, thank you."

"And perfect for outdoor work in the cold," Jared said, taking Jensen's gloved hands in his bare ones and rubbing over them. "Don't want anything to happen to your hands."

"Me either...I mean," Jensen chuckled, his whole body warming from Jared's easy touch. "They'll be a real benefit when I'm out helping you."

"And other things," Jared said, face coloring slightly. "I have one more for you." He slid off the couch and fetched the last two presents. He handed his to Jensen, a smallish sized box, wrapped in bright Santa paper.

Jensen smiled, cradling the smallish package in his hands. "Open mine first again?" he asked, ducking his head. He loved watching Jared open his presents and didn't want to be distracted by the process of opening his own.

Jensen's shyness warmed Jared from the inside, and he nodded eagerly. "Yeah, that works." He opened his package and pulling out a small disc. Blinking a few times, he carefully read the label, face breaking out into another huge smile. "It's you," he said. "Singing."

"You seemed to enjoy my singing the Christmas carols, so I thought you might like to have something that was a bit different," Jensen offered with another shy smile. He felt relieved with the way Jared was looking at him, but he wasn't entirely certain that Jared really liked the gift.

"I love listening to you sing," Jared confessed. "You have such a good voice, Jen. And now, I can take you with me when I go patrolling and stuff." He pressed his forehead to Jensen's. "Open yours now. Please." 

Jensen nodded, pressing a quick kiss to Jared's lips first. He sat back and opened this final gift even more carefully than any of the others. When he saw the jeweler's box inside, his heart raced and Jensen had to caution himself against hoping for anything in particular. Jensen opened the box and gasped slightly, staring at the gorgeous multi-metal Celtic designed ring nestled inside.

Jared dropped to one knee by the side of the couch and put a hand on Jensen's right knee. "Jensen Ackles, you make my life full, and I wish with all my heart to know if you will marry me."

Gasping, Jensen tore his gaze from the ring to where Jared knelt beside him. He opened and closed his mouth several times before nodding wildly. Jensen wasn't able to trust his voice, so he leaned down and pulled Jared into a heated kiss.

Heart swollen with joy, Jared kissed back, cradling Jensen's head in one of his hands and pouring out his love into the joining of their mouths. He separated only so he could gently take the ring and slide it on to Jensen's ring finger. "This was my grandfather's. I know he would be proud to have you wear it now." He kissed Jensen's knuckles lightly.

"Jay," Jensen breathed, curling his fingers tighter around Jared's hand. "Are you certain?" he couldn't help asking, knowing that he wanted to be married to Jared more than anything.

"Almost as soon as I got to know you," Jared confessed. "You weren't who I expected, but you are who I need, who I want and who I love."

Jensen brought both hands to Jared's face and pulled him into a deep kiss. He'd hoped, especially with Jared's growing interest in their physical compatibility, but Jensen hadn't dared let himself dream that Jared was falling in love with him. "I started falling in love with you from the moment you had me drive the sled back to the house on that first day."

Jared flushed with pleased embarrassment. "Really? I thought I was such a doofus that day. I hardly knew how to act, what to do. But I liked you from the first." He kissed Jensen sweetly. "I'll call and arrange a little ceremony for us, shall I? We can get a ride into town and have a real wedding. And I'll write the company and let them know how happy I am with you."

"I would love that, Jay," Jensen said, pulling Jared back up onto the couch and keeping a tight hold on him. The only thing that would make it even more wonderful for Jensen was if Mackenzie could be with them, but he knew that was a far-fetched idea...and he could only hope she might come visit them once her schooling was done. "We could do it before the end of January, perhaps?"

"A perfect way to ring in the New Year," Jared agreed and tugged Jensen into another kiss. "I love you, Jensen Ackles."

Jensen shivered. "I love you, Jared Padalecki," he murmured over Jared's lips.

"Want to go christen _our_ new bed for Christmas?" Jared asked, eyes sparkling. "Then we can move all your stuff in with me... if you want."

"Are you certain?" Jensen asked again, body so ready to be with Jared's, but he was concerned about Jared changing his mind about his long held beliefs. He stroked his thumb over Jared's cheek to take some of the sting out of his words. "You want to do so before our wedding night?"

"I want to be with you forever, Jen. For all intents and purposes, we're married now. Just the formality remains." Jared kissed Jensen's nose and beamed. "And I want to fall asleep holding you in my arms. My life's been empty too long."

Jensen nodded, kissed Jared hard and then pulled back to look into his eyes. "I want the same, Jay. I just...I had to be certain." He tangled one hand in Jared's hair and kissed him with all of the pent up love and passion he felt. "Take me to our bed, then."

Still kissing, Jared scooted off the sofa and lifted Jensen in his arms with only a slight grunt. "See, you really are marrying a mountain man," he said, as he carried Jensen toward their room.

Laughing, Jensen held on tight. "Do not hurt yourself...I'm not exactly small, Jay."

"I know," Jared said, "but I want to do this. I've always wanted to do this." He beamed and hauled Jensen into his bedroom, the room that would from now on be theirs. With a little huff, he set Jensen on the bed and asked, "What do you think?" 

"I think that was awfully romantic and a bit unnerving," Jensen admitted. He shook his head slightly and pulled Jared down to the bed.

Jared settled next to Jensen, stroking his hip lightly. "Hello. I wonder if all people who just got engaged feel as goofy and happy as I do."   
Jensen chuckled, nodding his head. "I certainly hope they feel as goofy and happy as we do...isn't that what being in love and getting married is supposed to be all about?"

"If you're lucky," Jared said. "I never thought to be this lucky." 

"Neither did I, truth be told," Jensen agreed, pressing kisses over Jared's face. "I hoped you'd be a good man, someone I could enjoy being around, but I'd never really thought we'd love each other."

Jared caught Jensen's mouth and rolled so they were entangled. He kissed them both breathless and then pulled Jensen's left hand to his mouth to kiss the knuckles and palm. "My ring looks right on your finger. Does it fit?"

Jensen nodded, curling his hand around Jared's. "Perfectly. We'll have to stop and get you one before the ceremony."

Jared smile and pressed his face into Jensen's collarbone, sighing happily. "You can choose one for me. Whatever you want."

"It's a deal," Jensen said, stroking his hand up and down Jared's back and tangling the other in his hair. "We have lifetime of making deals ahead of us."

"Let's make a deal!" Jared said enthusiastically and beamed at Jensen. He touched his shoulder gently. "You have experience with this?"

Jensen shook his head. "No, not really...but I want to try with you."

"What would you like to try?" Jared asked, kissing over Jensen's cheeks and sucking lightly on the first earlobe he came to.

"I want to try everything with you," Jensen said. "I want to experience it all."

"We're both going into this new," Jared said, caressing the perfect slope of his ass and squeezing the handfulls. "Want all of you."

Jensen blushed hotly, rocking his hips back into Jared's hands and moaning. "You can have all of me, Jay. Do you- do you want to be inside me?"

Jared's hips rocked forward without his consent, and he groaned deep in his throat at the idea. "Would you- would you like that? I don't want to do anything you might not like."

"Yes, I want to try everything, Jay...and the idea of being so intimately close to you," Jensen broke off the sentence, blushing and ducking his head into Jared's throat.

Jared thumbed over Jensen's hot cheeks, matching his blush. "Yes, that is what I wish, too. To look you in the eyes as we share such pleasure as may be found."

Jensen leaned into Jared's touch. "I want that," he said, rolling his hips up and pressing them against Jared's. "Touch me, please," he requested.

"Let me undress you," Jared whispered softly. "I want to kiss every piece of your body as it is revealed to me."

"Yes, please," Jensen moaned, arching up into Jared and trembling at the thought of Jared _wanting_ to see him, to touch and kiss his body.

Jared carefully unbuttoned Jensen's shirt, rubbing his lips over the skin of his collarbone and throat. He nipped at his adam's apple and then sucked at the pulse in the tender curve under his jaw. "You make me want."

Jensen shuddered. "God, I've been wanting you for days, weeks now."

Jared smiled against Jensen's skin and peeled back his shirt enough to uncover the skin between his nipple and collarbone, kissing each inch tenderly. "That long," he breathed. 

"Yeah, I knew I wanted to stay that first week and spending time with you just inflamed my feelings," Jensen admitted, bringing a hand up to curl in Jared's hair.

Jared kissed Jensen sweetly for the confession and smiled down at him. "I can't believe that I ever considered letting you leave me," he said. "You fit with me in every way."

Jensen chuckled, blushing again. "I'm glad, but I know you were caught off guard because you expected someone named Jenny."

Jared laughed, too, and pressed their hips together. "So glad you're not a Jenny now."

"Me too," Jensen moaned, arching up and taking Jared's mouth in a heated kiss.

Jared cradled Jensen close and sucked on Jensen's tongue until his head spun. His hips thrust lightly against Jensen, rubbing their cocks together through the material. "Want to get back to exploring." 

Jensen tipped his head back on the bed and released Jared, keeping his hands only lightly stroking at Jared's hips so that Jared could move as he wanted.

Jared grinned, pressed a thank you kiss to Jensen's mouth and then went back to exploring his torso. He removed clothing slowly, worshipping every inch of Jensen and making his skin slick under his mouth. He nosed around his right nipple, before sucking it in his mouth with a moan.

Jerking up off the bed as Jared's lips sucked at his nipple, Jensen moaned loudly and rolled his head on the pillow. "Feels so good, Jay."

"Never done this before," Jared confessed, nuzzling the small bud gently. "Tastes good."

"You like the taste of my skin?" Jensen asked, closing his eyes. 

"Yes," Jared breathed. "There's something almost sweet about it." He licked rapidly at the areola around Jensen's nipple, flashing darts of tongue.   
Jensen chuckled. "Really?" he asked, intrigued that it could taste sweet.

"Mmm," Jared answered, kissing the space between nipples and then slicking over the other nipple. "Tasty."

Jensen blushed, lifted his head to look down at Jared and then dropped back to the bed. He could feel his body responding, the delicate touches on his nipples shooting straight to his cock and making it throb. "Feels good."

Jared made a soft noise of appreciation and opened the shirt further, sliding down Jensen's perfect abdomen. He nudged over the cut of his muscles and sucked at his bellybutton. "You're gorgeous, too." 

"Thank you, I have a feeling your gym is going to help," Jensen said.

Jared found the first traces of hair that led to Jensen's groin and buried a moan in his skin. He tugged the first strands in his teeth. "Fuck, you're hot down here."

Jensen moaned, rolled his head on the pillow and lifted his hips slightly into Jared's face. "Fuck," he breathed.

Jared nuzzled over the hard denim separating him from Jensen and then gently pulled down the zipper. His nostrils filled with the scent of male arousal, flooding his mouth with saliva as he ducked down to mouth over the bulge pushing out Jensen's boxers.

"Jesus," Jensen breathed. "You sure you've never done this?" he asked, breath shaky. He stroked his hand over Jared's head and trembled underneath him.

Jared looked up at Jensen with a bright smile. "I'm doing all right then?" he asked, honestly curious. He rested his cheek against Jensen's cock and rubbed.

Jensen jerked in response to Jared stroking his cheek over Jensen's cock. "God yeah...any more right and you might kill me."

"That sounds bad to me," Jared said and eased Jensen out of the slit of his boxers, holding his cock reverently in one hand and stroking gently.

"Trust me...it's so not bad," Jensen groaned, rocking his hips up into Jared's touch. 

"What should I do?" Jared asked, staring at Jensen with unabashed desire and love. He pressed a kiss to his abdomen.

Jensen chuckled harshly. "Anything that you want, Jay. God, your touch is amazing."

Jared ducked to kiss Jensen's stomach again, hiding a blush. He tentatively licked his way down Jensen's cock, stroking gently. "Tastes good."

"Yeah?" Jensen asked, curious. He'd always wondered what it'd be like to taste someone to be that intimately close.

Jared lifted his head and beamed at Jensen. "You don't know?"   
Jensen shook his head. "No, never tried that," he admitted.

Jared blinked in surprise and then smiled at Jensen. "Me, either. I hope I do all right."

"I can't imagine you could do it wrong," Jensen said, stroking his fingers over Jared's cheek.

Jared turned into the gentle hand and kissed each finger. "I wanted it like this," he murmured. "Someone who understood."

Jensen smiled. "I would hope that everyone would understand, but I'm glad that I'm here with you and not anyone else."

Jared pressed up, running his hands over Jensen's exposed sides through his open shirt, and kissed him, chewing on his lower lip. "Yes. I can't understand why nobody snapped you up, but I'm so glad they didn't."

"Me too," Jensen said with another shy chuckle. "Will you undress me completely?"

Jared nibbled at Jensen's jawline and whispered, "If you want." He gently urged Jensen out of his shirt, tossing it to the floor. He revisited each piece of skin on Jensen's chest and kissed both nipples. "Like that?"

Jensen moaned, arching up. "Yeah, your hands feel so good on my skin, so warm where you touch me."

"It's like unwrapping the best Christmas gift ever," Jared teased, reaching down to finish Jensen's pants.

"You already have your presents. This will have to be a present for the both of us," Jensen said, lifting his hips when Jared pulled the pants down his legs.

Jared got Jensen's socks and pants snarled up and finally flung them in the corner with a little growl. He turned back to the almost naked man spread before him and moaned in embarrassing fashion at the riches before him.

Jensen rested one hand on his stomach and the other up by his head on his pillow. He stared at Jared, still trying to imagine what he looks like underneath. "Will you undress for me now?"

Jared shook his head and said, "I want you to undress me. Please, Jen."   
"Yeah," Jensen moaned, pushing himself upright. He rolled onto his knees and crawled forward toward Jared. "Come closer?" he asked, reaching his hands out to his future husband.

Jared moved to kneel right in front of Jensen, breathing hard in arousal. He cupped himself through his pants with a little gasp. "So hard for you."   
"Good, I'm just as hard for you," Jensen said, reaching out and dragging Jared's hand to his body. He curled Jared's open palm around his hard length before starting to pull Jared's shirt up and over his head. Jensen tossed it aside and stroked Jared's chest with a moan. "So hard, so amazing," he murmured, leaning in and pressing a kiss over Jared's heart.

Jared held on to Jensen's cock thoughtlessly, even as he arched into the soft kiss. He looked down to watch Jensen, groaning softly as he was disrobed. "Love you."

Jensen hummed, kissed Jared's chest again and then surged up to kiss his lips. "Love you, too," he said, pulling back with a smile and then reaching down to get Jared out of his pants as fast as possible.

Jared kicked off his pants and tugged Jensen against him, so they rubbed bare skin together. "Jen. So good."

"Yeah," Jensen agreed, tugging on Jared's hips so he was even closer before dragging one hand over Jared's back and tracing the line of his spine.

Shivering, Jared clasped Jensen just above his ass and settled their hips together. He still wore his boxers, and there was something almost indecent about rubbing against Jensen's bare body while still partly clothed. "Jen."

"What do you want, Jay?" Jensen asked, dragging his nails back down Jared's spine and grabbing his ass with both hands to press them together.

"Everything," Jared said and traced the seam between Jensen's cheeks. "I want to be with you." 

"You keep saying my name...what am I not doing? Why have you stopped?" Jensen asked, having expected Jared to pick right back up where they left off.

"Hmm? Sorry." Jared blushed and ducked his head into Jensen's shoulder. "I keep getting distracted by you. How you feel in my arms. How you look there."

Jensen blushed, the response not being what he'd expected. "Is it too much? Too fast?"

"No. No," Jared said, easing Jensen back down to the bed. "It's perfect. I just want to savor its perfection."

"Oh," Jensen whispered with another shy blush. He leaned in and kissed Jared softly, still gripping Jared's ass in his hands and rocking their hips together.

"I do want to suck you," Jared said, groaning as they rubbed together. He sat up and pressed Jensen back. "Please."   
Jensen nodded, letting go of Jared and toppling onto his back on the bed. He grinned, spread his legs so Jared could climb between them and then propped himself up on his elbows. "And I want to watch you."

Jared groaned at the idea and humped a little against the mattress. Breathing out hard, he gripped Jensen's cock carefully around the base and then lowered his head to lick the tip. Slowly, he eased the head into his mouth, getting used to the feel and taste on his tongue.

Moaning, Jensen closed his eyes on a wave of pleasure and then forced them open again. It was amazingly, unbelievably erotic to see Jared's mouth opened around his cock and to feel the heat and wetness of his mouth at the same time.

Jared's eyes fluttered shut as he worked up and down the head of Jensen's cock. He stroked with his hand to make up for what he was not capable of taking in his mouth yet.

Jensen shifted his weight so he could reach out and tangle a hand in Jared's hair. He lightly played with the strands, hissing softly and moaning when Jared flicked his tongue just right under the head.

Jared groaned when Jensen's hand threaded into his hair. As Jensen reacted to his actions, he repeated those that seemed to cause the most pleasure and dared to slide even more into his mouth. He swallowed hard against his gag reflex and accidentally dragged his teeth over the length.

"Oh fuck, Jay," Jensen moaned, shaking and stuttering in Jared's grip. He dropped his head back and tightened his grip in Jared's hair, trying not to come.

One stutter poked Jensen in deep, and Jared gasped a little and coughed. He pulled off for a second to get his bearings and then dove back down, not wanting to stop pleasuring Jensen. Closing his lips tight, he sucked hard and long.

Jensen was unable to control himself, not with the way Jared attacked him with such enthusiasm. He shuddered, cried out and came in Jared's mouth before he could call out a warning.

Jared spluttered and choked on Jensen's release, before swallowing it down. He pulled off with a gasp, the rest hitting him in the face and spilling down his throat and on to the bed. "Wow."   
"Jesus, sorry, Jay," Jensen gasped, trying to push himself up and wipe of Jared's face. His cheeks flamed with embarrassment at not being able to control himself and making a mess out of Jared.

Jared caught Jensen's hand and pulled him into a kiss, sharing his flavor. He tugged until Jensen nearly straddled him, a hand still gently fondling Jensen's spent cock. 

Jensen trembled and shook in Jared's arms, sinking into the kiss and allowing Jared to ease his worries with his touch. He pulled back, rested his forehead on Jared's and sighed. "I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?" Jared asked and stroked over Jensen's cheek and smiled at him. "It was amazing. Was I all right?"   
"I didn't warn you," Jensen said, shamefaced. He leaned into Jared's hand and hugged him closer.

"Warn me...oh." Jared smiled and kissed at Jensen's face, trying to chase the shamed expression. "There's nothing to apologize for; it was a compliment." He stroked Jensen's right cheek and urged him into a deep kiss.

Jensen returned Jared's kiss, sinking against him and clinging tightly. He pulled back. "I love you."

Jared lit up and kissed Jensen again, holding him close and trying to soothe with gentle caresses. "Love you, too. I'm glad I could make you feel good." 

"It was amazing, Jay," Jensen said between kisses, doing his best to relax and feel good about it. "What do you want? Do you want to be inside me?"

Jared trembled again at the idea and nodded. "Yes, Jen. I want that intimacy with you. Not if it'll hurt you, though." His eyes darkened at the idea of injuring his lover.

Jensen smiled at Jared's care, kissing him again before laying down and beckoning Jared to him. "I know you'll be careful."

Jared carefully eased out of his boxers and spread himself over Jensen, gasping as his erection rubbed over Jensen's hot skin. "Want this to be perfect."

"It will be," Jensen said with complete faith.

"I, uh, I have something to use," Jared said, sitting up and fumbling in the stand next to his bed. "Did some research on what's best." He paused and looked at Jensen with bright eyes. "Do we need a condom?"

Jensen shook his head. "No," he whispered. "I don't."

Jared smiled and leaned in to kiss Jensen again. "Neither do I. We're each other's first times." He set the lubricant next to Jensen and stroked over his long legs, up his thighs to his ass, and then between.

Jensen looked over his shoulder at Jared, smiling shyly and arching his ass into Jared's hands. He ached for Jared to be inside him.

"I'm going to try to stretch you open now," Jared said, fumbling with the lube. "Please tell me if something hurts or feels wrong." He flipped open the top and nearly squirted the lube everywhere.

Jensen nodded. "Okay, I will." He turned forward again and rested his head on the pillow.

Jared took a deep breath and stroked his clean hand over Jensen's ass. He carefully parted the cheeks and made a low sound at the exposure of the small ring he was suppose to breach. "So tiny," he whispered, spreading lube over the pink with a trembling finger.

Shivering at the tender touch, Jensen breathed out and did his best to relax. He knew that he had to do that for Jared or this would end up hurting them both.

Jared rubbed Jensen's back with his clean hand, working to ease any tension there. He curled the very tip of his index finger into the edge of Jensen's hole and tugged lightly. "Not sure how to do this," he confessed.

"Jay," Jensen breathed out. "There's no way you're fitting in there without a lot of help. Can you just, maybe get your finger wet and try to push it in?"

"Yeah, Jen," Jared said and poured more lubricant over his finger. "Trying now." He swallowed and slid the finger to first knuckle deep inside.

Jensen shivered, his body resisting slightly at first before opening and taking Jared's finger inside. He wriggled slightly, feeling an unusual sort of pressure but not pain.

"All right?" Jared asked, watching Jensen move beneath him. He tugged at the edges and smiled to feel them loosen some. "I think it's working."    
"Yeah, feels okay...doesn't hurt," Jensen said, settling back against the bed.

Jared slid his finger deeper and rotated it around the edges. "You're so hot inside."   
Jensen moaned, writhing against Jared's hand and the sudden onslaught of odd feelings. "Your finger feels huge."

Jared looked at his finger and then his erection, gulping a little. "Uh, it's pretty tiny, Jen," he murmured, sliding in as far as possible. "Oh fuck."   
"Jay," Jensen moaned, body arching off the bed. 

Jared leaned down and pressed soft, soothing kisses down Jensen's neck and back. "Jen. Jen, you're so perfect," he whispered. "So tight and hot around my finger. Want you so much."

Jensen relaxed under Jared's soft touches; the kisses almost drugging him. "I want you too, Jay. You want to try two?"

Jared nibbled Jensen's left ear and sucked on the lobe as he eased his single finger out. With only a bit of mess-making, he continued to soothe and kiss Jensen and slick up two fingers at the same time. Getting those fingers back into place left several trails of lube along Jensen's thighs, ass and balls. "Oops," he said with a chuckle, before finally getting them back into place.

Shivering at the slight chill from the lube, Jensen turned his head to try and get a look at Jared. He could see some of Jared's face and relaxed even more at the look in his eyes. "I'm ready, Jay."

Jared smiled sappily at him, eyes warm enough to melt butter, and eased the tips of both fingers inside. "Like that?" he asked, moving them in circles.

"God," Jensen moaned, dropping his head forward again. "Fuck that burns a little," he said, rolling his face back into the pillow and pushing himself back so that Jared's fingers breached him in one, fast movement.

Jared choked on a gasped cry and hooked his fingers instinctively, as if trying to anchor them tight. "Jen! Are you all right?"

Jensen moaned low, trembling violently when Jared raked over his prostate. "Oh fuck, Jay...god, do that again, please."

"What? What did I do?" Jared asked. He thought it over and then crooked his fingers again, hoping to repeat whatever pleasured Jensen so much.   
"Fuck!" Jensen screamed. "Oh god, yes," he babbled.

So, that was good, and Jared worked hard to make sure that he continued to hit that spot inside Jensen, even as he spread his fingers and widened that narrow little passage to accommodate far more. "That's my Jen. So hot. So sensual. Fuck, can't wait to be inside you." 

Groaning, Jensen all but thrashed on the bed while Jared played with his body. He rocked his hips back as best he could into Jared's hand. "God, yes, Jay...wanna feel you."

"I think another finger," Jared said. "I don't know that you're wide enough back here." He nearly swallowed his tongue when he suddenly concentrated on the sight of his fingers disappearing in and out of Jensen's body. "Fuck, so gorgeous." He leaned down and pressed a kiss to where his fingers moved inside, ignoring the flavor of lube.

Jensen moaned loudly again, pressing his ass into Jared's hand and face. "Please, Jay...more, anything."

Jared removed his fingers and kissed Jensen's slightly gaping hole and then spread lubricant on three fingers. "Here we go, Jen. Ready?"   
"Yes, please...so ready, Jay," Jensen moaned, arched his back and turned to look at Jared over his shoulder with smoldering eyes.

Jared leaned forward and captured Jensen's perfect mouth, tightly bunching his fingers together and sliding them in deep. "Fuck, feel you open for me. So wide."   
Jensen buried himself in the kiss, body responding and opening to Jared's fingers instinctively.

Jared licked into Jensen's mouth again, humming softly as their tongues twisted together. He pressed in deep with both tongue and fingers, searching for the spot inside him that would change all pain to pleasure.    
Jared's fingers raked over Jensen's prostate, and he broke from the kiss, crying out and writhing. "Now," he all but screamed at Jared, wanting and needing Jared to get inside his body before he came again.

Surprised, Jared fought the instinct to pull back at the cry. He forced himself to act calmly and removed his fingers from Jensen's body. "On your back?" he asked, wondering if that was the correct way. 

Jensen moaned at the way Jared slid his fingers out, body almost ridiculously oversensitive. "Yeah," he finally breathed, heaving himself over and onto his back before reaching his arms out to bring Jared in close. "Please...need you."

Answering Jensen's need, Jared slotted into his arms and kissed his swollen lips. He awkwardly reached down to carefully slick himself with the remaining lube on his hands and groaned as his hips bucked into the touch. Letting go before he came prematurely, he whispered love into Jensen's ear, as his hips lined themselves up instinctively, helping to guide him inside. 

Breaking the kiss, Jensen stared into Jared's eyes. "Love you," he whispered, dragging his hands down Jared's body until he could grab his own legs and pull them up and wider open so Jared could press inside more easily.

"Fuck," Jared hissed as he breached Jensen for the first time. He shuddered and stared into Jensen's eyes, his own hazy with love, lust and overwhelming need. "Is that- does that-"

"It's good," Jensen said, nodding at Jared and arching his neck back at the way Jared pushed just inside his body.

Dropping his head to mouth Jensen's fine neck, Jared inched his way forward, fighting both the resistance of Jensen's body and his own urge to slam himself inside. He bit down on the warm skin beneath his mouth, distracting himself with the taste of Jensen on his tongue.

Jensen groaned, hips hitching up out of his control and forcing Jared in deeper. He clawed at Jared's back, head lolling to the side while he panted.

Jared echoed Jensen and froze as Jensen raked his skin. "Shhh," he murmured in an attempt to soothe them both. He ached with the desire to claim Jensen and rubbed his head against him like a cat.

Forcing himself to take a few deep breaths, Jensen help tight to Jared and concentrated on relaxing. He opened his eyes again, surprised to find they'd shut while Jared pressed inside him.

"Feels good, Jen," Jared crooned. "So close to you now, so deep. Fuck." He paused again as Jensen's body resisted. "Not much more."

"C'mon, Jay...go ahead...I can take it, promise," Jensen murmured, lifting his head up to kiss Jared deep and encourage him on.

Jared exhaled a deep breath and then pressed in as swiftly as he dared, gasping when Jensen's body gave and swallowed the rest of him. He bit down hard on Jensen's right shoulder and held.

"Fuuuuuck," Jensen moaned, arching up against Jared. He wrapped himself around his lover and closed his eyes, still panting and trying to breathe through the sudden, complete intrusion.

Jared released Jensen's shoulder and pulled up enough to smile down into his face. "Did it, Jen. We're together. It is all right? I want it to be good for you."

Jensen nodded, smiling at Jared and then kissing him gently. "Yeah, you're huge, though," he said with a soft laugh that made him groan when his body clenched around Jared.

Jared gasped as Jensen squeezed him and then managed a weak laugh. "Huge... yeah. Sorry bout that." He rotated his hips to accustom Jensen a little to the feel of him moving inside. "You're hot and tight." 

Chuckling again, Jensen slid his hands up to cup Jared's face and kissed him slow and sweet. "I like the way you feel inside me, Jay. You can move if you want."

"I want. So much." Jared's right hand found Jensen's left and clasped their fingers together as he made his first real slide in and out. His eyes fluttered closed as he slid gentle and slow through the warmth of Jensen's body.

"So good, Jay," Jensen moaned, the burn slowly starting to ease.

"More," Jared murmured, body striving for a pace to satisfy them both. His powerful muscles rippled with each thrust, moving the bed under them.

Jensen moaned, the burn swiftly fading to pleasure when Jared angled his hips and hit Jensen's prostate again. He clenched tight around his lover, wrapping himself even tighter and moaning loudly.

"Oh yes," Jared breathed, hitting the rhythm and power that worked for them both. He read every tell from Jensen's body, finding just how to angle in to maximize their shared pleasure. "Look at me," he ordered hoarsely. "Come on, Jen."

Forcing his eyes open, Jensen stared up at Jared. He held his lover close, rocking his hips into each thrust now and moaning almost continuously with the building pleasure.

Jared's heart warmed at the sight of the love, trust and pleasure in Jensen's intense gaze. He only hoped his own showed all the same with equal intensity back to Jensen. He knew he felt the same burning through his veins. The physical pleasure of each stroke inside his lover only stoked that fire higher and made it burn hotter. 

"Feels so good, Jay," Jensen moaned, keeping his eyes open as best he could under the intense pleasure. He thrust his hips up and into Jared's hard, matching him for each movement. He ached to come again, the near constant rubbing at his prostate leaving Jensen nearly unable to think of anything else.

"'M close, Jen," Jared groaned, sweat trickling down his body as he worked them both hard. "Want to come in you, fill you so full of me."

"Yes, god yes, please," Jensen moaned, reaching down and stroking his cock. He wanted them to come together this time.

"So pretty, Jen," Jared growled, sucking on his lower lip. "Make yourself come for me. Show me what you look like when you come with my cock in you." He nearly blushed at his own language, which came from some deep, untapped part of him.

Jensen moaned hotly, hand stroking his cock furiously at Jared's words. He tipped his head back on the pillow, trembling from the dual sensations. "Please, Jay....wanna feel you come inside me, please," he moaned when his body arched hard, stiffening with his release pumping over his hand and between their bodies.

Jared grunted deep in his chest as Jensen's body tightened around his cock on a deep thrust. His orgasm slammed out of him, knocking away his breath. Hips jittering uncontrollably, he emptied into Jensen until his release began to trickle out before he even finished.

"Oh god, Jay, so good," Jensen moaned, body still shaking and trembling against his lover's body. He hugged Jared close and tight, stroking his back.

Jared shuddered through the last of his orgasm and then a few aftershocks, before finally realizing down on top of Jensen. "Wow," he breathed, resting his cheek against Jensen's hair. He listened to them breathe in tandem for a few moments. "Is it always like that?"

Jensen snorted. "I certainly hope so."

Jared laughed softly at Jensen's response, holding him close so they both shook. Finally, he pulled back enough to kiss him. "Thank you."

"Thank you...for choosing me, for giving me, us, a chance." Jensen kissed him back and then shifted them so that they were facing each other on the bed.

Jared tugged Jensen against him, lazily kissing his cheeks, nose, eyelids and mouth. "Thank you for choosing me back," he said with a smile. "I think we're going to be happy."

Jensen chuckled, "Yeah, I think so, too, Jay." For the first time in a long time, Jensen had a home, a family and a life that was going to be okay.


End file.
